Mayhem Pending
by Night's Fang
Summary: YYH xover FullSummary inside. After reading something her mother left behind for her, Akane decides to take initiative. She grows up, takes her life into her own hands, and have loads of fun with her new friends. Nerima better watch out.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the plot-line.

**Summary:** What happens when after a normal chaotic day in Nerima after dealing with all the fiancé's and suitors Akane looking for comfort in her mother's room, Akane find's her mother's journal? What happens when Akane finds out that's there more to her mom than she thought there was, and she's inherited so many things from her mother?

Answer: Akane grows up and decides to take her life into her own hands. And have a whole load of fun on the way with her newly acquired friends.

**A/N:** Study explosion has being going on in my head and driving me insane and in major need of a stress relief. Hence the story. Oh and do excuse me if there seem any errors or the characters seem a bit OOC.

Oh by the way, I didn't know Akane's mother's name so in this story I've kept her maiden name Asuka Mizuki.

_Italics_ – thoughts/diary entries.

_--Italics--_ – flashbacks.

* * *

**Prologue.**

Akane Tendo ran home as fast as she could, short dark blue hair whipping against the wind. Chocolate brown eyes that usually shone brightly with warmth were now echoing hurt. Unshed tears glistened in her eyes as the events of the day replayed themselves in her mind.

_Why? Why can't I have a normal life? Why can't my day go like a normal teenager's day supposed to go, for once? Why?_ She thought as she ran.

_--"Akane please pass me some milk." Ranma asked sleepily during breakfast trying his hardest to suppress a yawn._

_Akane who had just come in flushed and a bit worn out from her morning jog, absentmindedly handed him the milk carton saying, "Here Ranma."_

_Genma Saotome, father of Ranma Saotome, and his friend Soun Tendo, father of Akane Tendo on seeing this exchange broke out into happy song and dance._

"_Look at them, finally accepting their relationship! The schools will be joined at last!" both rejoiced making both the teens look up eyes wide immediately protesting before getting into a heated argument. Which ended up in Ranma saying some nasty things about Akane, and Akane hurt making Ranma kiss the mud next to the koi pond._

_Both managed to come to a terse truce and went on their way to school. Akane walking on the pavement by the river, Ranma walking on the fence, both discussing their class projects which had to be turned in that day, when Shampoo – out of nowhere – flung herself on Ranma. Ranma in his haste to avoid the Chinese girl jumped off the fence and ended up accidentally clipping shoulders – rather painfully – with Akane. Shampoo who took this for something else immediately launched an attack on Akane, while the blue haired girl moved as fast as she could to avoid it. Meanwhile Mousse had popped up as well and began fighting Ranma._

_By the time Akane and Ranma had reached school, they were tired, exhausted, and irate. It didn't help that Akane's fan club was waiting for them. Then came Kuno. And then when Akane and Ranma finally made it to class they were greeted by Ukyo. Of course as soon as the bell for class rang everything settled down, and the teacher came in and started to collect their projects. It had been only then that Akane had realised that during one of the morning fights her project had been destroyed. Naturally the teacher gave her detention and she failed the assignment._

_The rest of the day had proceeded like normal as well. Random suitors coming up to her and asking her out. Avoiding Kuno. Trying not to get killed by Ranma's 'stalkers' Shampoo, Ukyo, and Kodachi during lunch. Avoiding her fan club, and Kuno._

_Then came dismissal time. Ukyo immediately latched on to Ranma's arm. Shampoo and Kodachi appeared out of nowhere preparing to duel for who gets Ranma and dragged Akane into it. Mousse, Ryouga, Kuno immediately followed the girls idea with an impromptu face-off against Ranma. Of course Ranma managed to beat the three of them and turned to the girls who were all prepared to draw blood, and hence tried to stop them. This resulted Shampoo, Kodachi, and Ukyo each trying to get Ranma to make his choice and choose one. Finally Akane's name got dragged into it again and as usual Ranma in his usual state of panic insulted the blue haired Tendo._

"_Nonsense! Why would I want to marry her? She's not even a woman with her flat breasts, thick thighs, ugly features, and crude manners. Hell she isn't even a proper martial artist!" he had yelled._

* * *

She reached her house, fighting the urge to cry, and looked up at it. If she straight in then her father and Mr Saotome would question her and ask why she wasn't with Ranma before going into a lecture at how they should get along. They wouldn't leave her to cry in peace if she ran straight up to her room the moment she entered. They'd follow her up, bang on her door, question her, lecture her, and force Ranma on her. And she'd probably have to deal with Happosai as well.

No she didn't that right now. She needed comforting quiet, a soothing environment, and time to have a good cry and sort her thoughts out. And she wouldn't achieve it if she went straight in. A place where could bother her, or if they knew she was in, would not bother her.

Changing her mind and coming to a decision, she sneaked in through the back, before stealthily making her way to the other discarded dust-filled staircase behind the hidden door in the house. Silently climbing it, to the first floor, she slid the door open, and came out on the corridor of the first level. Still moving as silently as possible she opened a room door and slid in before closing it shut and locking it, before she slid to the floor sighing in relief. Involuntarily the corners of her lips lifted up in a small smile as she remembered her mother Asuka Tendo showing her this secret way to her room when Akane was three, and they played treasure hunts. All those hunts would always conclude in this room, their room. The room her mother and her had stayed in for Akane's first five years of life, as per her mother's family tradition. No one ever came in here now, except the three sisters to clean it every week-end. No one else was allowed into the room.

She looked around the room scanning it, all thoughts of the day forgotten. Three large photo frames hung on the wall, each housing Asuka Tendo, and one Tendo daughter. There were many toys and photographs here and there. All of them featured Asuka smiling with one or the other of the three Tendo sisters when they were below five. Akane's smile brightened when she saw that out of all the three sisters, she alone had taken on all of her mother's facial features. The slightly babyish elfin face, creamy skin, deep chocolate brown eyes, and midnight blue hair. She minutely wondered of Nabiki, or Kasumi ever came here when they needed complete seclusion from the rest of the family when upset. That reminded her of why she was upset and the whole day's memories came crashing back down on her. And she finally let silent sobs claim her.

* * *

After about half-an-hour, when she'd had a good cry to let out all her frustration and angst at all the wrongs she'd been subjected to because of one foolish mistake by her father, Akane finally began to calm down. She realised that as much crying felt good, she had to find a way to deal with the situation. She was getting fed up with everything. Being chased by crazed suitors, and jealous stalkers of her forced upon fiancé, dealing with stupid ancient customs and traditions, and ancient magic. She'd had it up to _here_ with it.

Because of these stupid occurrences, she was suffering. Her love life was absolutely screwed up, her martial arts abilities had dwindled, her health was always at risk, her self-esteem, and confidence had jumped into a bottomless pit and kept going deeper by the day, her grades were falling. At the rate everything was going Akane wasn't sure whether she'd even be alive in the next five years. And if by some miracle she did remain alive and make it through this craziness, she nimbly wondered whether she'd be remotely sane, healthy, and successful.

When no solution to the problem seemed forthcoming Akane merely let out a defeated sigh. "What do I do now mom?" she asked reaching out to touch a large frame on the wall of a picture of her mother holding her when she was three. The frame sunk a bit it on touch, and for the first time Akane noticed something different about it. The frame was a bit sunk back into the wall than the other two, and stayed on a bit more rigidly. Curious she tried shifting in and noticed it didn't budge. Then she took a firm grip of the sides and yanked it in front. It moved, so she pulled a bit harder and finally the entire frame came out to reveal a rectangular compartment housing a huge box.

Akane carefully set the frame down and took the box out before setting it down gently beside the frame. It clearly belonged to her mother. Dusting the cover she noticed something printed on the box. The ink had nearly faded out, but was still legible. It read _**Akane's Inheritance**_.

Curiosity now doubled, and excitement pulsing throughout her body, she opened it to see an assortment of many strange trinkets and a thick journal. Deciding that the journal would be more useful she sat down to read it. She opened to the first page which was blank. She turned to the next page to see an entry which was dated a few days after her birth. Putting the reading lamp which was seated in a corner of the room, and bringing it above the book, she began to read.

_It's been a fortnight now, since I gave birth to my third, even though it was unplanned, and Soun is absolutely delighted since we had another girl. I tell you it scares me at times at how much of a feminist my husband is. I still hadn't forgotten how hard he prayed for the baby to be another healthy girl, when I was pregnant with our newest little angel. Not that I mind. I wanted a girl as well._

_She's a perfect girl, as healthy and lively as can be, already wanting to play. Soun of course can't wait till she learns how to walk and talk. I'm sure she'll be the most pampered by Soun of our three, simply because to quote my darling husband, "She look's exactly like you."_ Akane let out a small smile on hearing this. Trust her father to go hyper and sentimental.

_Kasumi and Nabiki too, are fond of my baby tenshi, for the same reason Soun is. It's cute really since Nabiki's barely a year older than her and she's already tried climbing into the baby's cradle, with Kasumi's help. I was so surprised to see both of them tickling and entertaining the little one when I woke up. And they both absolutely refuse to leave her alone at any times. The little one seems to think the same because she's always crying when Kasumi, Nabiki or me are not there. I'm so glad to see my three daughters so close already. It's adorable to watch them play so happily together._

_When I see my three girls, and Soun all so happy together, I can't help but thank Kami that I've been so blessed. The arrival of the little one has spread nothing but unbridled joy throughout. Maybe it's because her aura itself radiates strong emotions which I'm definite affect everyone around her. I can tell she'll be a very passionate person, a lot like me. Soun asks why I say this but I guess he can't sense anything else but dormant and battle ki. He can't sense everything else that an aura radiates besides the urge to fight or the lack of it that like I can. I don't hold it against him._

_The little one has also taken an affinity for the colour red, my own favourite colour. She lights up whenever she sees it. It's really cute, and symbolically it suits her. For someone who radiates such strong emotions, is bound to like the colour that represents those emotions._

_I think I'll name my littlest one Akane. It fits her perfectly. Red – the colour of passion, the colour of deep love._

_First my Kasumi – my princess of peace. Then Nabiki – my priestess of wisdom. And now my littlest one Akane – my little tenshi of love._

_Kami-sama has truly blessed me._

Akane looked down fondly at the entry, a gentle smile playing on her lips as she was overwhelmed with emotions. She'd understood why her mother used the titles she had for Kasumi and Nabiki, they both fitted them. But her, an Angel of Love? Her mother had thought to highly of her? She felt guilt ridden that she thought so lowly of herself when her mother had obviously great expectations for her. Hugging the journal she whispered a soft thanks to her mother.

She turned to read the next entry and the entry after that, and the one after that. And soon enough Akane was engrossed in reading the journal as the evening wore on. She noted that her mother wrote in at infrequent intervals. Some lasting merely over a span of hours, while entries were written months after it's preceding entry.

* * *

She turned another page to an entry dated to when she was just over about one and a half.

_Akane had been a bit unwell today, so on Soun's advice (he kept muttering that since Akane seemed a lot like me, maybe the same remedies and other stuff works for both of us) I decided maybe some fresh air might help. I took the girls for a picnic near the forest three stations away. They were all excited. Nabiki had wanted to go pick flowers, so Kasumi volunteered to set up the picnic and take care of Akane._

_Nabiki and I were having a really good time, till my senses picked up something coming from our supposed to be picnic spot. I could sense youkai._ Akane paused at this sentence and re-read it to make sure she hadn't made a mistake. Her mother wrote that she's sensed demons. That couldn't make sense, could it?

Her mind wandered to Ranma, the Jusenkyo curses, the magic potions Shampoo kept trying to slip Ranma, and Akane sighed. Of course after all those things happening in her life, youkai existing didn't seem so weird. Sighing she continued reading her mother's entry.

_The aura wasn't very strong, but I wasn't to sure since it could've been disguised. I picked up Nabiki and began running towards it. I was so scared, since my Kasumi, and my little Akane were left alone. Who knew what could've happened to them? What if the youkai knew that I was and ex-Rekkai Tantei? What if it was some youkai trying to get revenge on me? Had my babies been hurt? All these questions kept running through my head and I urged my legs to take me faster._

_I met Kasumi halfway to the picnic spot. She was crying, and Akane wasn't with her. I could literally feel my heart turn heavy. I rushed to Kasumi asking what had happened trying my best to keep my composure. She told me that she'd bee setting up the picnic and she'd turned her back on Akane for only a moment. But when she turned back to check on her, Akane had gone missing. She searched everywhere for Akane barring the forest but couldn't find her._

_I gave her Nabiki, and told them to stay there before I ran into the forest screaming for my little one. Suddenly I felt a flare of ki and I ran in the direction it came from. I reached a clearing and to my amazement I see my little tenshi sitting atop a monstrous dead bear youkai playing with a puppy. She must've sensed me because she looked straight at me and smiled waving._

_I guess Soun was right after all. Akane is more like me than I thought. She seems to have inherited my vast spirit ki._

Akane read this surprised. She'd killed a demon when she was one and a half?

She continued going through the journal faster than before finding even more instances of where her mother encountered demons with her, but they were minor. Though throughout after the first mention of youkai her mother had started writing about Akane's growing ki. Then finally Akane came across another curious entry dated close to her third birthday.

_Akane's ki has just been rising through the roof for these past few months. And it started to show as well. Whenever she feels very strongly about something (which isn't a rare occurrence) her ki flares up. She's destroyed quite a few things already. And it didn't look like it'll get any better._

_I was beginning to get scared. I was afraid that if I didn't act soon Akane's life may have been in danger. And I can't risk ki limiters as they further put Akane in danger. So I contacted my old Martial Arts Teacher who taught me how to control my own ki and everything about combat I know for advice. Genkai-sama told me that I should put Akane in Spirit Shackles saying that it'll act as a perfect ki limiter since it compresses the ki. She explained the method to me, and it seemed easy enough. And she said that the Spirit Shackles would increase ki compression to match up with Akane's increasing ki as she grew. The only drawback was that Akane would have trouble using her limbs since the Shackles bound the limbs together and one had to perpetually keep their ki at a constant point in order to do so. But right now it was a risk I had to take._

_When faced with the choice between my child's life and hampering her ability to move, I'd take the latter._

_So I created the Spirit Shackles and bound Akane's limbs with them. She immediately started squirming and crying, since she couldn't move her limbs since they were now bound together. Looking at her torture I almost took the Shackles off, but I stopped when I noticed she was looking at her limbs for a moment, her face scrunched up. Then she broke out into a smile and pulled all her limbs apart and began running around in the room giggling. It seemed that Genkai was right when she said that Akane would after a while instinctively figure out how to overcome the Spirit Shackles._

_And the best part about this now, is that her ki isn't going haywire and she's been enjoying herself._

* * *

_Akane is nearing four years now. And she's been growing so well. In another year I'll be stopping this journal, and leave it, for her one day to read. She's turned out to be quite different from what Soun expected though. She's a little tomboy, always playing sports, and with the boys. Not liking anything feminine. I find it cute. Soun however doesn't He keeps grumbling about if Akane stayed that way, that no boy might marry her someday. I immediately got angry at him. How dare he say that my little tenshi won't be good enough? Any man who rejects my tenshi is no loss. In fact he is the one who will be losing out on such a wonderful person! Although I'm sure that Soun is a vigilant feminist, there are few time when I wonder if he does possess an equally chauvinistic side._

_I don't mind that my daughter doesn't like playing dress-up and instead prefers wearing shorts and shirts. I don't mind that she likes sports instead of dolls. If that makes my littlest one happy I don't care! Soun can cry all he wants, I don't want Akane changing anything about herself, just because the world feels she should._ Again Akane couldn't resist smiling.

_Though one thing both Soun and I are excited about is that Akane is showing a keen interest in learning Martial Arts. She's already managed to coax Soun into showing her basics. If she still seems interested in them when she's a bit older, I'll send her to Genkai-sensei. She may be a bit tough with students but she'll teach Akane well. But then again I guess Akane will have to go to Genkai-sensei after all. She'll have to learn to control her ki one day or another. The Spirit Shackles won't do any good after some years._

Akane turned the page to read the next entry but the ink had blurred. It was the same for the rest of the pages. Akane heaved a huge sigh. She'd really wanted to finish the journal. It had made her feel so close to her mother. Though now, the journal had given her something new to think about. From what her mother had written it seemed like she'd have to meet this Genkai soon.

She moved to put the journal in the box so that she could take it back to her room and then spotted some other items in the box. The odd trinkets she'd seen earlier. Taking a slightly better look at it, she noticed that instead they were in fact jewellery, and some other weird objects. There was an envelope attached beneath all the trinkets. Opening it Akane took out the letter from inside it and read it.

_My dearest littlest one Akane,_

_If you are reading this then, it means that I've left this world for the next, or I'm very close to the next world. I do hope you've read the journal first. If you have then this letter will make better sense. Akane from the time you were born I knew that there was something different about you. You seemed completely different from your sisters, and I noticed it. As you began to grow, your differences began to show through more clearer. This may seem a bit confusing but you must bear with me._

_You see you've inherited a lot of traits from me. Including my large reiki. However just like me, your reiki keeps increasing by leaps and bounds, and I'm afraid of that. You see in cases like us, if we cannot control the rate of increase of reiki, or find a way to be able to control it, it takes a toll on our lives. Which is why, this situation is said to be dangerous. No amount of ki limiters can help. They may only worsen you health._

_When you were nearly three – on the advice of my Genkai-sensei – put Spirit Shackles on you. They should hold for many years but they can be of no use if you don't learn to control your reiki. Since you are reading this letter it means I'm no longer around to help you with that, and even if I was I don't think I would've been much help. However Genkai-sensei is an expert in areas like this. She'll be able to help you. So I beg you my dear daughter to meet her. I've enclosed her address in the envelope. She will guide you. (Though be careful, she loves showing her students tough love.)_

_Other than that I hope your well._

_Love,_

_Your mother, Asuka Tendo._

Akane reread the letter several times before taking out the note with the address written on it, mind made up. She'd pay this Genkai a visit, and get answers to a lot of confusing questions plaguing her mind.

* * *

**A/N:** So guys how is this for a first chapter? Good? Bad? I'd really like to know.


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Still don't own it. If I ever do I'll tell you guys, so you can email me and I can send you the DVD of the new series. Kay?

**A/N:** I'm really glad with the way this was received. I wasn't to sure about the story. The story picks up right after the last chapter. And again I ask all of you guys to be patient with me if I don't know the names of certain places, or seem ignorant about certain event's in Ranma since they haven't aired all the seasons. (And the seasons that have been aired were cut short!) And I haven't been able to get my hands on the manga, normally, and through the internet. Sobs!

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Akane sighed as she quietly made her way down the steps of the dojo the next morning taking the utmost care to be unseen and unheard. There would be a lot of problems if anyone saw her. One way or the other she'd either be stopped, or have a whole load of people tag along, and she didn't want either of that. She had spent most of the night planning this.

She'd wake up at four a.m. dress up, pack some food, and sneak out of the house by five a.m. maximum. She'd already packed all the money and stuff she'd probably need for this trip the night before. She'd run to the train station as fast as she possibly could, taking every single short-cut she knew on the way there, to cut the twenty minute walk in half – if possible quarter. There was a train every fifteen minutes so if she made it time she'd be out of the station and on her way in a manner of ten minutes. By five fifteen a.m. to be exact.

So far everything had been going according to plan if not better. She was already more than half an hour before schedule and she found it to be a blessing. The faster she left the house, the faster she made it to the station. The faster she did that, the faster she'd be on her trip. Now all she had to do was get a few snacks from the kitchen…

She crept towards it but froze next to the doorway when she heard humming. Kasumi had woken up so early? She hadn't been counting on that. Kasumi usually woke up by five thirty.

"Oh good morning Akane. I've packed some lunch, and snacks for you, along with some money you may need for today." Kasumi's voice chirped serenely coming out of the kitchen with a package, while Akane's eyes widened. "And don't worry, no one knows, and I definitely wont tell anyone." She added.

Akane looked up at her wide-eyed. "How did you know?" she asked.

"You forgot to put the frame back in, in the baby room." Kasumi replied.

"So you knew?" Akane asked. If Kasumi knew, how many other's may have gotten suspicious?

Kasumi nodded affirmative. "I was the one who put your box there in the first place on mother's instructions, before she passed away. Now run along, I know for a fact that the others don't know a thing, but you can never be sure."

"Thanks ni-chan!" Akane said gratefully accepting the package.

"Just take care of yourself, and tell me what Genkai-sama says, all right?" Kasumi requested and Akane nodded happily, before hurrying out of the house.

_Well I guess it's a good thing Kasumi knows about this. At least I can trust her, and I won't feel guilty about this._ Akane thought hurrying to the train station a wide happy smile present on her face.

* * *

The train ride had been uneventful for Akane. Actually nothing had happened at all. She'd gotten out of the house by just a little before four thirty a.m. and made it to the train station in ten minutes. And hence taken the four forty-five train, which had been almost completely empty except for a few early morning commuters, who were women, business men, and a group of college boys who were most definitely not perverted.

Actually they seemed really sweet and well mannered, and Akane had a fun time playing with cards with them. In fact, one of the boys who'd introduced himself as Yukinojo Kasahara and was extremely good looking with his angular face, mahogany brown hair and grey eyes, even empathised with her when she'd told him about her fan club in school, saying he'd experienced the same thing. She was even giggling hard along with the other chuckling boys, when he told her about his experience of waking up one evening in a girls room hand-cuffed to her bed surrounded by a mob of girls, and how he had to be rescued from them, by his older sister. And they all laughed out loud, when they heard of the chaos she experienced every day, because of the fiancé business she'd gotten pulled into.

So all in all, the train ride turned out to be fun in all sense. She'd made some good acquaintances. It was definitely a good change from the usual chaos at home, she thought as she walked down the main road that would lead her to her destination. The guard outside the station had shown her the road to take, and she was thankful for that.

The city seemed to be disappearing around her as the road wore on, till she was near the outskirts of a forest. She continued on till she found herself at the base of a huge stone stairway to a shrine situated on a high hill. _Pretty flashy!_ She thought before beginning her long trek up the stairs, not knowing what to expect.

* * *

Well whatever Akane had been expecting definitely hadn't been this. She was currently sitting down at a table with a cup of steaming hot tea and lots of snacks served to her by a really beautiful girl with long ice-blue/green hair and red eyes, after her exhausting trek up the stairs. In front of her was a short old lady – not that she hadn't expected it. The lady who'd taught her mother would definitely not be a very young woman. But she couldn't get over the fact that someone who was supposed to be strict had pink hair.

But what Akane definitely hadn't expected was what the woman was telling her. Before Akane could even introduce herself, the woman had thrown her a bundle of clothes, which turned out to be training gi, telling her to put it on, go into the dojo behind and begin rehearsing her basic katas for three hours straight. When Akane had questioned why, and how could she ask someone to do that without even knowing why they had come, all Genkai had said was she'd explain later. But Akane being as stubborn as she was refused till Genkai explained, and Genkai conceded.

"You know you're really like your mother. The stupid girl would always ask too many unnecessary questions first and then train. If I didn't know better I'd be wondering whether Asuka Mizuki had re-incarnated herself to train with me. You look exactly like her you know." Genkai grumbled giving the girl a small glare.

"Anyway, as to how I could ask you to change into that gi, and begin doing all your basic katas for three hours is because – as you must've guessed by now – I know who you are, and why you've come here. Although it's concealed by the Spirit Shackles, the Shackles haven't been put on expertly. So although your ki will stay concealed to others, a person with strong Spirit awareness will catch you. And me being a Spirit Master who's trained your mother – who might I add, was the most difficult student I've ever had to train, along with being the most ungraceful and stubborn one – it's basically as easy to recognise you, as it is to blink." The woman explained sternly, though Akane couldn't miss the flash of softness in the old woman's expression whenever her mother was mentioned.

"Secondly why I've asked you to go through your basic katas is because I need to assess your raw strength, raw skill, stamina, and other things, before I can start training you in the martial arts as well." She said glaring at Akane.

Then she added, "If you're anything like your mother – and I'm sure you are – you probably want me to train you in martial arts along with helping you learn to control your ki. Actually the first basic step for someone like you to learn how to control their reiki is by learning some form of stress relief, like music, sports, etc. And once again since I'm sure you're like your mother, your form of stress relief is martial arts, just like hers was."

Akane nodded. The woman had pinpointed who she was, both the reasons whys she came here, and already decided how to go about it, even before entering the room. Akane just felt her curiosity increase tenfold.

"You keep telling me that you feel that I'm a lot like my mother. Could you tell me about her? If you don't mind that is." Akane said while Genkai sighed lines of frustration appearing on her face.

_She's turning out to be a replica of Asuka with every passing second. And if that's the case then Kami better help me. Another Asuka Mizuki in the world! What was Kami thinking? Apocalypse?_ Genkai thought looking at Akane and sighing. _Well I better tell her otherwise she won't train properly._

"Your mother was a huge pain! The moron always bothered me to no end and back!" Genkai started while lighting a cigarette knowing this would probably be a long story and thinking of how short she could cut it.

"I first met the baka when she was fifteen, and her father brought her to me to be trained. I'm friends with him – rather I was friends with him before he passed away. She wanted to learn martial arts, and learn to control her ki. So we started straight away, just like I was hoping to do with you. We trained for five years together, and she added twenty years to me during that time if you must know."

"Two years into our training she was picked up by the Prince of Rekkai to be a Spirit Detective – which the idiot agreed happily to. It was so annoying that in between practice she'd get called to chase down some random powerful demon that got through the barrier between the Demon and Human worlds, and was wreaking havoc. Or some demon who was stupid enough to steal some important artefact from Rekkai. I believe she met that father of yours in between our training, when we were on a trip; and off she went, falling in love and marrying him…" Genkai grumbled trailing of with something like 'just like the idiot'.

"Anyway after she got married she was pregnant with your oldest sister. I believe there are three of you? Kasumi, Nabiki, and you?"

Akane nodded and Genkai continued.

"Yeah like I said, she was pregnant with Kasumi, so training was further put on hold. Then after recovering from Kasumi's birth she fell ill and she had to take care of Kasumi. So training was put off by another year. After she recovered your father knocked her up again with Nabiki. A year later and you came along. And she _had_ to take care of you. I'd kill her if she thought otherwise – not that she ever would. She was absolutely besotted with the three of you girls." The old woman grumbled and Akane was pinching herself hard in order to stop herself from smiling.

"But then came the thing I feared the most. Just like the others in her family, Asuka's ki began to increase out of proportion. And she was so busy with her family that the moron didn't take a single fifteen minutes a week out for herself so that she could do all those control techniques I taught her like she was supposed to. Of course because she hadn't, she didn't realise what was happening until it was too late." Genkai said.

"Too late? I don't understand." Akane said.

"Reiki is the energy contained by the spirit. Although it is hard to believe in scientific terms it is present, and it is energy. And by Spirit Physics – yes there is a subject called Spirit Physics, so don't look at me like I'm crazy since I spent most of my life in this field – all built up reiki has to be converted into work. Hence when there is a presence of large reiki in the body it has to be let out and used in some way or another. If there is no way for it to be used then the body – to maintain the perfect balance of reiki – begins to absorb it and convert it into anything else, or build up it's own physical, and chemical energy to create an equilibrium. Well prolonged exposure to this condition causes continuous unexplainable cell division, and hence premature aging of the vital organs. And eventually the person dies. That's why no doctor could cure your mother when she 'fell ill'." Genkai said.

Then she gruffly added, "To think, Asuka Mizuki, one of the greatest martial artists, spirit masters, and spirit detectives of all times died all because she was negligent and too unselfish to take fifteen minutes off a week for herself. If she'd done that, then she'd be sitting here right next to you today, getting a few good well deserved smacks on the head from me."

Akane just sat there staring at her tea. Not saying a word. Just absorbing what Genkai had told her. Especially her last two sentences.

"_To think, Asuka Mizuki, one of the greatest martial artists, spirit masters, and spirit detectives of all times died all because she was negligent and too unselfish to take fifteen minutes off a week for herself. If she'd done that, then she'd be sitting here right next to you today, getting a few good well deserved smacks on the head from me."_

Akane sighed softly, trying to hold back tears coming to her eyes, and Genkai seeing this sighed. _I'm sure I'm going soft._ The old woman thought. Though she'd never say it out loud, Asuka Mizuki was her favourite student. She was like family, and not one day went by that the old Spirit Master didn't miss her or think of her, so she understood what the girl was going through. However now was no time to be emotional. Asuka's ki has just started it's sudden up-burst when she'd first met her. Akane's had started a year or two after she was born. They had already lost a lot of precious time. Besides Genkai didn't want to have to deal with an annoyed Asuka Mizuki-Tendo when she died and went to Rekkai.

Clearing her mind of all thoughts besides training the young doppelganger of Asuka in front of her she said, "And the same thing will happen to you if you don't get your act together, put that gi on, get into the dojo, and start rehearsing your katas! If you don't, or don't do it properly, I'll make you do one armed handstand push-ups for five hours and not let you eat, drink, or go home till you've done that."

Well maybe she yelled it instead of saying it. But this is Genkai, so it's understood. After all she's notorious for her tough love, and Akane had her first instance of it when Genkai smacked her hard upside the head after the command.

"Yes madam!" Akane said saluting instinctively before scrambling into the next room hurrying to obey her new strict sensei. Genkai didn't seem like a person to be crossed, and Akane didn't want to try disobeying her. When the blue haired girl was in the next room Genkai couldn't stop the amused smirk from forming on her lips.

_She's just like Asuka! Looks, attitude, personality. I wonder if she even swims and cooks as bad as the baka used to before I taught her? I must ask her! This is going to be fun._ Genkai thought thoroughly amused.

* * *

Meanwhile the silent timid Yukina who was watching the entire scene playing out in front of her, sighed simply, before walking to the healing room and getting it ready. She was sure after Genkai's initiation training this girl – Akane Tendo, would be coming here. After all she'd seen what Yusuke, and the others went through. She silently wondered if by meeting Genkai and becoming her student, whether the poor girl had any idea what she'd gotten herself into.

When after five hours of straight training, and missing lunch, Yukina heard Akane's groans of pain, and frustrated curses, Yukina knew that Akane had finally realised what she was dealing with.

_The poor girl!_ Yukina thought sagely sighing, _More than surviving the effects of her growing ki, I wonder whether she can survive Genkai? Hell sessions have just begun for her._

* * *

**A/N:** So how was it? I hope you guys like it.


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Still don't own it. I promise I'll proclaim it to the world when I do.

**A/N:** For everyone who keeps asking when is the timeline for this story set – it's after the end of both Ranma and YYH anime. And I finally got my hands on all the Ranma mangas through the internet thanks to my dear aunt and managed to finish reading them. (Though volume 17 onwards were translations by devoted fans so they might've been a bit wrong.)

So yeah now hopefully this story will seem more better since I actually know what happens.

Again this chapter picks up from the previous one.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Akane groaned as she tried to sit up, while the girl who'd served her tea earlier tended delicately to the wounds the youngest Tendo had gotten during Genkai's initiation training.

"Don't force yourself." The girl said softly placing a gentle hand upon the back of Akane's palm. "It'll only get worse if you do. Genkai-sama isn't like any normal martial arts or spirit trainer. She's really a little hard on her students."

"Oh wow! To think after rehearsing basic katas for three hours and then fighting – correction getting my ass royally whipped by – her for five straight hours, I didn't realise she's a little tough on her students." Akane said sarcastically while the girl, unable to help herself, started giggling.

"So who exactly are you? You don't seem to be her student. And you're definitely not related to her." Akane asked. The girl sighed a bit and looked directly into Akane's brown eyes, with her own crimson ones. She'd never seen anyone with that eye colour before but somehow, after seeing this girl she couldn't imagine her without them. For some reason the crimson eyes suited this girl a lot. It seemed to radiate unsurpassed warmth like the rest of the girl and created a perfect clash with her frozen ice maiden looks. Like the beautiful subtle product of when you mixed fire and ice together.

"My story isn't a fairytale, not even remotely close to it, just like my life." The girl said softly looking down.

"I understand. I truly do." Akane replied meaning the words, with a sense of maturity she had rarely felt. Maybe it was because she had dealt with so much of craziness in her life as well after meeting Ranma. So she knew what it felt like to be lonely, even when surrounded by many earnest sincere well-wishers. And she had a feeling that the girl she was talking to, often felt the same way.

"My story and my life is no different. Maybe you've dealt with things different from me, but the emotion behind it, is and will always be the same. So maybe you can tell me your story, and I can tell you mine. And maybe we can both have a good laugh at some of the more ridiculous things in our past when we're done. How about it?" Akane asked bluntly, and the girl looked up wide-eyed, understanding the unspoken emotion behind the words.

"'Sides it's not like I have anything else to do, till my body starts responding properly, unless you have work…" Akane trailed off and the girl shook her head.

"I'm Akane Tendo by the way, in case you didn't hear Genkai say it earlier. Clumsy, violent, tomboyish somewhat martial-artist." Akane said gingerly holding her hand out.

"I'm a youkai. Koorime to be precise. I'm really unsure if I do have a surname, so I only go by my first name Yukina. And believe me when I say it, I would love to be like you, instead of me." The girl said gently accepting Akane's weak hand in a firm shake.

"Come of it. Everyone is different in their own way, though at the end of it we're all really the same. That's what makes everyone so unique." Akane said momentarily realising what it felt like to be in Kasumi's shoes. "Well then Yukina I believe you have a non-fairytale to tell me?" Akane asked and Yukina nodded before sitting beside Akane on the bed and beginning her tale.

* * *

It was well past two hours, since they began chatting that Genkai finally interrupted them, entering the healing room. By the time Genkai had come the two girls had already finished swapping their life stories complete with the drama, angst, hilarity, craziness, and everything else, becoming fast friends in the process, and were currently joking with each other.

"Akane I think it would be better if you stay here the night. It's quite late and you've still not recovered from training. I don't want Asuka coming and haunting me, so you're not going home in this condition. Also if you stay over we'll be able to get a head start tomorrow. It's Sunday anyway so you won't have to worry about school." Genkai said.

"Hai sensei! Would you mind if I call home and tell Kasumi then?" Akane asked. Genkai nodded and tossed Akane a cell phone at which Akane had to stop herself from raising her eyebrows in disbelief. After meeting Ranma and the others she always thought that maybe all martial artists were… well… technologically ignorant, because of all their methods. Ranma was a dunce when it came to gadgets. Ryouga hadn't ever heard of a GPRS palmtop map, which was something the boy really needed since he always kept getting lost. Shampoo, Cologne, and Mousse had never ever even heard of a computer. Hell Kasumi had to teach their dad how to operate a cordless phone, when they got one!

So she was thoroughly shaken to find out that there in fact did exist martial-artists who were up-to-date on the scientific and modern world, much less using technology. Especially someone like Genkai, who she thought would be as gadget ignorant as the other martial artists she'd ever met.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she dialled her residence and waited for someone to pick up silently praying it would be Kasumi, since her older sister was the only one who had an idea of what was going on. After five rings someone finally picked the phone and said, "Hello. Tendo dojo and residence."

"Ne-chan, it's me Akane!" Akane said delighted at the fact Kasumi answered the phone.

"Akane, is everything all right? You still haven't come home, and the others are worried about you." Kasumi said on the other end of the call.

"I'm fine ne-chan. Just a bit tried. Anyway Genkai-sensei has asked me to stay for the night since it's late and so that she'll be able to start training early. I'll be here till tomorrow evening. Could you cover for me?" Akane asked.

Then in a slightly louder voice Akane heard Kasumi reply, "Oh I see, so your friend's granny asked you to stay at her house for the night, to help care fore her since she's fallen ill? And you'll be back tomorrow evening? Well all right I'll tell daddy and the others. Just take care of yourself, all right Akane? And I hope your friend's granny recovers soon as well."

Akane smirked. She'd always imagined her eldest sister to be the perfect angel and here Kasumi was, coming up with the perfect and most believable excuse/lie when Akane had expected Kasumi to ask what story she should tell the others. The excuse was so flawless, that even her own family couldn't say anything against it, since they'd all look like heartless people if they protested. "Thanks ne-chan." Akane said as she tried to hold in all her amazement.

"Well then I guess I'll see you tomorrow Akane. Good night and take care." Kasumi said.

"Same to you sis." Akane replied ending the call smiling.

"Well since you're staying, I suggest you take a nice long hot herbal bath before coming down for dinner. It helps relax the body. And after dinner I can start you on meditation techniques, since we have more time. It'll save us time tomorrow." Genkai said.

Akane nodded, and with Yukina's help began to head to the bathroom, with Yukina explaining to Akane about the herbal bath Genkai had been talking about.

* * *

On the other end of the call, in the Tendo dojo pandemonium erupted, on hearing Kasumi's phone conversation. Though Kasumi – and Nabiki to add – knew pandemonium would happen anyway. Whether Akane was in the house or not.

"My daughter isn't coming home! She's run away!" Soun Tendo started crying and wailing away and exaggerating as he was prone to do. Happosai was crying because he wouldn't get to well… put it simply do perverted stuff with Akane. Ranma hit him on the head saying that Akane wouldn't want to do anything with the old kook in the first place. While Genma Saotome, in panda form, smacked Ranma upside the head, with his signboard on which was written on, in bold capitals **'THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT BOY!'** to which Ranma protested.

Nabiki sighed on seeing the chaos. _Why do I have to deal with this? I hope this id just a bad dream._ She thought.

And when Shampoo, Ukyo, and Kodachi all appeared with dinner that they made especially for Ranma, each trying to feed him their own dinner, while in the process ruining the dinner Kasumi made for the entire family all Nabiki could do was stare, while her father continued to wail like a five year old.

_Please let me find out I'm adopted! I beg you Kami! I'll give you all the money you want! Just please let me be adopted!_ Nabiki mentally screamt up to the heavens.

Unfortunately – as Nabiki realised later on – that no matter how she hoped and prayed that this turned out to be a bad dream or to be adopted it would never be. She minutely wondered how her younger sister hadn't gone completely insane dealing with the brunt of all this.

* * *

Meanwhile Akane who was now relaxing in the hot herbal bath sighed in pleasure as she rested her head against the towel placed on the bank of the bath.

"Genkai sure likes luxury, even though she may give off this military warrior Spartan attitude. Who would've guessed it?" Akane mumbled to herself looking around the bathroom. It had an old world feel to it, with the wood patterned tiling on the floor and walls. The scent of forest was everywhere And the sunk-in pool bath was lavishly splendid according to Akane. If she closed her eyes Akane felt that she would forget that she was actually in a bathroom instead of some nice hot-spring resort.

Letting out another sigh of contentment she lazily reached for the washcloth and herbal mint body-wash gel and forest scented shampoo Yukina had kept for her to use before beginning to wash herself. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't stay in the bath forever. She have to get out soon, Genkai was waiting to take a bath as well.

Ten minutes later she was smiling contently as she got out of the bath, bath-robe wrapped firmly around her, she stretched lazily, humming a random melodious tune to herself.

"OW!" she yelled as she felt a fist smack her head hard. Turning around she saw Genkai glaring up at her. "What was that for?" she asked.

"Quit slacking and get changed! And eat your dinner fast! I want to get you started on meditation as quickly as I can. And from now on whenever you're staying over, finish your bath with a maximum of half an hour. Don't take an hour extra like you did today!" Genkai scolded and Akane gulped. She hadn't realised she'd taken an hour and a half to have her bath.

"Sorry." She murmured.

"You better be." Grumbled Genkai as she walked in the direction of the bathroom, while Yukina suddenly popped up behind Akane and said, "Don't worry. Genkai doesn't really mind, and if she does don't pay attention to her. She'll probably take longer than you in the bath."

"Really?" Akane asked, and Yukina nodded the affirmative.

"Though considering today she's trying to keep to a schedule she'll cut her bath to quarter of the time. So it's a good thing that you took long in the bath. Maybe you could install some good habits in her as well." Yukina said, and both girls started giggling.

* * *

Just as Yukina had said Genkai had taken a long time in the bath. Or to be more precise an hour, and both Yukina, and Akane had to stop themselves giggling at Genkai's hypocrisy.

Dinner had been a rather chatty affair, with both Yukina, and Akane chatting animatedly about anything and everything. Music, movies, food, clothes, boys, books. Anything their minds could come up with. Both girls seemed extremely happy in each other's presence, and quite comfortable with each other, and Genkai took quick notice of it, hiding her smirk behind the glass of water she was drinking.

_Just like Asuka, meets and befriends a demon in half a day._ Genkai thought glancing over at the blue haired girl talking to the koorime in her care. Then her mind wandered to more serious topics, like the root of the 'ki-problem' as she'd named it and it's enormity which she'd discovered while practising with Akane. The girl had definitely inherited the family condition passed down through generations from her mother, just like Asuka had. And that was not a good thing since Akane's ki had been allowed to grow uncontained without training her from the time she was one. And it had begun to show.

During their training Genkai had noticed Akane's ki flaring whenever her emotions went a bit over normal, changing with her changing emotions. A slight lurch in Akane's emotions- no matter how infinitesimally small – would cause her ki to violently start flaring up. The only time when there was no ki flare was when the training had first started and Akane was completely calm. But as the training wore one, with Akane getting lightly tired and drained her ki began to slowly flare up. And Genkai knew that no normal person could keep that level of stamina, and calm throughout.

Another thing Genkai noticed was that the Spirit Shackles that Akane had on were already threatening to dissolve under the pressure of holding Akane's ki in check after such a long period of time. She'd initially thought that the Shackles had not been put on expertly, but during training she was forced to take back that theory on realising that Asuka had indeed put the Shackles on perfectly, but they were no match for Akane's growing ki.

She'd minutely wondered whether putting a Spirit Cloak on Akane would be any more beneficial but the idea was scrapped as soon as it came, since Genkai knew that the Spirit Cloak would only hold in and try to compress the ki like the Shackles. And for someone like Akane they needed to find a way to control their ki on their own. The Cloak might just become another excuse not to train and another way to deny the enormity of the problem at hand.

But then, Genkai had no idea on what to do. True Akane, like her mother, was a very fast learner. She was gifted with the ability to pick up things at a record setting pace once set in a comfy surrounding in the appropriate frame of mind. Although dealing with the stubbornness and head strong ideals was a completely different thing. It was the only thing holding the girl back from becoming a martial-artist to be reckoned with, along with her inability to concentrate, inability to control her emotions, and lack of grace.

That's why she was so keen on teaching Akane the art of meditation. If Akane picked it up quickly and effectively managed to put it to use during her training then it might up their odds against Akane's growing ki.

But even then if Akane did master the art of perfect meditation, there was no way she would be able to master martial arts to Genkai's level. Akane did have quite a lot of untapped potentials of raw skill, and the lightning quick ability to create plans on her feet while fighting, but her experience would hold her down. She needed to have enough battle experience in martial arts to progress, if she was to have any chance at controlling her ki. And that was not possible in a short time.

Genkai needed more time, she only wished she knew how.

"Genkai-sensei? I'm finished with my dinner. Should we start with the meditation?" Akane's voice broke into her thoughts, and Genkai gruffly nodded getting up and beckoning for the girl to follow her.

* * *

Genkai knew she was right in thinking that Akane had complete lack of concentration. The girl's mind kept drifting off after every fifteen seconds, and it was thoroughly annoying.

"That's it!" Genkai growled after an hour of failed training. "Since the normal method is getting us nowhere, I think we'll have to try another method. All right now lets start, and I swear you'll regret it if you don't pay close attention." She said glaring at the girl.

Akane gulped hard. "Sorry I'm trying my best." She said, but Genkai didn't hear it.

"Now start by closing you eyes. Slowly begin concentrating on your breathing. Forget about everything else. Nothing else in this world exists besides you breathing in and out." Genkai said her rough voice dropping to a low soothing tone, and Akane did exactly as she was told.

Soon just like Genkai wanted Akane seemed blissfully unaware of anything besides her own breathing and Genkai allowed herself a small smile. _Self subconscious hypnosis meditation. Always works when everything else fails._ She thought triumphantly.

Soon, talking in the same soothing tone of voice like she was before, she began to slowly create scenarios for Akane to meditate on, and within half an hour they'd achieved whatever they hadn't been able to in the previous hour, if not more. An hour later Akane was successfully meditating by herself while Genkai occasionally making sure the girl's mind didn't wander tried to figure out how a way to teach Akane everything in a short span of time. She didn't know how long Akane had left before the Shackles would be of no use, and Akane's vital organs start to age.

There had to be a way that Genkai could buy this young girl enough time to be able to fight for her own life, survive and perhaps one day take her place among the ranks of many great Spirit Masters of which she had the potential to become.

Just then the clock struck eleven and the noise brought Genkai out of her thoughts. She turned to Akane to see that the girl was still deep in her meditation. Silently wondering whether she'd dozed off, she called softly to the girl. If the girl was indeed asleep, she would not answer. If the girl was meditating, well then Genkai would be proud.

"Hai Genkai-sama? What's the matter?" Akane asked softly.

"It's getting late, and we need to start early tomorrow morning. Let's call it a day." Genkai said and Akane nodded before they both got up and headed to their respective bedrooms. Akane knowing where she would be sleeping since Yukina had shown her the room earlier. Smiling she flopped down on the bed. The day had been exhausting with everything she had been put through, but it had been strangely fulfilling. She guessed it was the effects of meditation. Stretching in a feline manner she made herself cosy in the bed before loosing her consciousness to the word of dreams, deep asleep.

Genkai on the other hand, had a less peaceful night, with thoughts of her new student plaguing her. She hadn't told neither even unconsciously hint at the gravity of the issue. Akane's ki had already been spiralling completely out of control by the time the girl had come for help. To much time had already slipped by, and Genkai didn't know how much time Akane had left, though she knew it was not a lot.

How could she teach the girl even one fourth of everything with the limited time they had on their hands?

She needed time. Lots of time.

* * *

**A/N:** Well that's the second chapter. So how was it? Leave a note telling me.


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma or Yu-Yu-Hakusho. And I never will. Happy now?

**A/N:** This chapter is a long one.

_Italics_ – Thoughts.

_--Italics--_ – flashbacks.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Akane groaned as she got into the hot herbal bath Yukina had prepared for her. It felt so good against her sore and aching body. If she'd thought Genkai was rough with her yesterday, today was even worse, she realised, as memories of the day relived themselves.

Genkai had unceremoniously woken her up at four a.m. by throwing a bucket of ice cold water on her, before having her freshen up. By four thirty she was in Genkai's dojo doing a morning workout of rehearsing katas with her new pink-haired martial arts teacher. At five-thirty they took a breakfast break. Six a.m. saw Genkai supervising Akane run up and down the three hundred plus steps of the shrine to increase her leg strength and speed, for three hours straight. Nine thirty a.m. and Akane was being taught handstand push-ups. And for the next three hours Genkai had concentrated on her hand and arm strength, making Akane do pull-ups, and weights.

Thankfully Genkai had allowed her to take a one and half hour lunch break to get her breath back along with the sensation in her limbs. But by two in the afternoon, Akane was back inside Genkai's dojo sparring with the old woman. In Akane's terms that meant getting the crap beaten out of her. By four she was in the healing room groaning in pain as Yukina healed her bruises.

She let out another groan. What had she gotten herself into? She knew martial-arts was tough to learn but Genkai was a slave driver, working her to the marrow. Genkai was more of a sadist than a teacher.

But then again while one part of her whined at Genkai's cruel treatment of her, another part of her completely enjoyed the learning experience. She felt she accomplished more in this one day of training than she had at home within a week. She'd never been pushed to her limit or even beyond it, ever at home, like she had today. Despite Genkai's methods, she was a good teacher. She'd already deduced Akane's own strengths and weaknesses and had already began working on it.

By the end of each session with Genkai, Akane had noticed several of her own flaws. After their intense morning warm-up workout, Akane realised that during her entire period of self-learning the martial arts, she'd concentrated only on the amount of strength and fierceness required for performing the katas. She'd ignored performing the katas with any accuracy, agility, balance, fluency, or flexibility. Nor had she bothered to adapt the kata to match her, so as to level out her flaws. And hence her katas were purely rigid, stiff, and mechanical. Unlike Genkai who seemed like a dancer while doing her katas, and in the long run – Akane realised – making Genkai a more dangerous fighter. She'd made a mental note to improve on those aspects, finally understanding what Genkai had meant earlier when she'd said that Akane had no grace.

And she realised that all the different sessions Genkai had done with Akane that day seemed to emphasize on that one point, and not really the other reasons she was given. Though Akane knew even those reasons were mostly true as well. While running laps on the shrine stairs, and during her hand-stand push-ups, pull-ups, and weights, Akane's observation had reached it's focal point. She'd realised how stupid she'd been by concentrating on her brute strength alone while learning martial-arts. Brute strength did only about a quarter of the job while one was running, or doing push-ups, pull-ups, and things of those sorts. Agility, balance, flexibility, and fluency held more weight.

Now looking at everything in perspective, Akane minutely wondered how she'd been so blind to miss something so important. Martial-arts was a sport in a way of sorts. And that made a martial artist an athlete. If she didn't concentrate on an all-round improvement, how would she ever become a better athlete? A better martial-artist?

And if that huge flaw wasn't frustrating enough, Akane noticed during her laps on the shrine staircase, she favoured her right ankle. Memories took her back to when she injured it. She was six and gotten into a fight with the neighbourhood bullies. They'd knocked her of her feet, and the biggest one of all the five had stepped on her right ankle in order to stop her getting up before targeting it. It had taken her a while to get over that injury. Add to that her right shoulder was still a bit stiff in mobility, as she discovered during her handstand push-ups. She'd forgotten how she'd injured it. Akane realised that she still had a lot of work to do.

* * *

Getting out of the bath-tub she dried herself off before dressing up in the clothes she'd laid out for herself, before exiting the bathroom. When she reached the living room, she was glad to see Genkai, and Yukina waiting for her with cups of steaming hot tea in their hands, and a separate one for her placed on a tray along with some snacks.

"Great I'm starving!" she said rushing over to the tray and grabbing some biscuits, before wolfing them down. "Excuse my manners." She added after she finished all her snacks. Yukina merely gave her an endearing smile, while Genkai rolled her eyes.

"Sit down and enjoy it, before I give you a whole lot of bad news." Genkai said. Akane merely raised an eyebrow before shrugging.

"Well then I think it's better now, than later. So shoot." Akane said preparing herself for everything Genkai would tell her. She wasn't expecting any good news anyway.

"You have to promise me not to whine after this. Or go completely teenage tragedy drama queen. I can't stand that." Genkai said.

"I promise." Akane said rolling her eyes. Even if Genkai told her she had an hour to live, Akane wouldn't go 'teenage tragedy drama queen' as Genkai put it. She'd probably kill herself before she let it happen.

"When your mother started training under me, her ki had just started it's unstable up-burst, so I was able to train her properly. Add to that her father had already been teaching her martial-arts since she was five. You on the other hand are a completely different story. Your unstable ki up-burst started about a year after you were born if not earlier. So as you guessed we've lost a lot of precious time. Adding to this situation, the fact that you haven't been taught any form of martial-arts besides the basics, and you're self-taught, you're at a serious disadvantage." Genkai said.

"I'm not even going to ask why your father never taught you the style of martial-arts his school specializes in. Or why you didn't seek out another teacher to train you, and chose to self-learn the arts. I've already got a rough guess, and I'm sure you don't want to revisit those memories. We're only wasting time doing that. But right now we're in a fix."

"At this rate I don't know how I'll be able to teach you everything in time, but I'm going to try anyway. So if we want to make an impossible deadline you're going to have to out in at least three hundred percent or more of yourself in this training. I won't accept less. You'll do everything I tell you to do. Listen closely to all my observations I make during our sessions and work on them to improve. Have you got that?" Genkai asked, and Akane nodded.

"Now about today's training," she said sternly, "I've noticed a lot of things that are not going to help our cause. You don't-"

"I don't concentrate on the fluency and grace of my katas, and you want to smack me on the head for that. I favour my right ankle, and right shoulder, during any strenuous activity, and I probably need to work on increasing mobility in them." Akane cut her off.

"Exactly. Glad you've noticed it. So to improve your fluency, and grace you'll probably have to re-learn the katas. As for your injuries, there are some basic yoga exercises that'll help which I'll teach you in a bit. Right now we'll discuss a schedule for you, including how you wont be able to waste your time at home, and you better keep to it." Genkai said narrowing her eyes and Akane gulped.

* * *

It was seven in the evening when Akane left Genkai's shrine after a lengthy discussion on Akane's new timetable – which was packed. She managed to hitch a ride to the station from a nice old couple. That shortened the return journey considerably, since Genkai's shrine was on the other side of the town, and was generally a thirty minute walk. The train back to Nerima was packed with many commuters returning home from the industrial area, and she was constantly pushed, and shoved around.

After the hassling train-ride she alighted at Nerima station, and proceeded to walk back the Tendo dojo, mentally preparing herself for the chaos that would be expected once she got home, compared to the serene atmosphere around Genkai's temple. The walk home was uneventful and quiet. Much to Akane's relief she didn't meet anybody on her way home. No crazy stalkers, Ranma's other fiancées trying to kill her, nothing like that. And she was glad for it.

"I'm home!" she called opening the door of her house, while taking off her shoes. She walked inside the house to the expected pandemonium, and chaos, her house was usually in. Everyone was at the dinner table. Ranma in girl form fighting off Happosai who was trying to put Ranma in a bra. Her father and Genma Saotome were consoling Nodoka, who finally knew exactly what her husband's master, put their son through, and was currently trying to cut said Grandmaster into ribbons. Nabiki was calculating her earnings from the day, no doubt attained through blackmailing and selling off some more pictures of the female Ranma and Akane herself to Kuno. The only person who seemed completely calm was Kasumi – as always. And she was the first person to notice that Akane had returned home.

Dinner had gone on as usual, complete with Happosai trying to grope her. Though one good thing that came from it was that she'd managed to convince her dad to let her go after school in the evenings to 'help her friend care for her granny till the old woman got better'. So that solved the problem that would've arisen if she had to sneak out.

After dinner she changed into her nightwear heading straight for her room. Locking the door, and window, to keep Happosai and Ranma out, she plopped down on her bed. Sighing she decided to do the exercises Genkai showed her to increase mobility in her ankle and shoulder. If she had to stick to the intense schedule Genkai had created for her, she'd better start it now.

After her exercises which left her ankle and shoulder tingling, she took the normal pose for meditation. Genkai had wanted her to meditate for at least half an hour every night before she went to sleep. That done she tucked herself into bed and slowly began to fall asleep, all the time wondering how the hell she would stick to this intense regime Genkai had given her.

* * *

**Two weeks later:**

Akane tried her best to pay attention to Hinako-sensei's lecture – or at least the parts that made sense. Finally giving up on the useless effort she turned towards the window looking out to the school grounds. It didn't make a difference as school would be out in a few minutes anyway.

The bell rang and Akane gave a low sigh of relief. She was finally out of this hell-hole and free to go over to Genkai's. _What a day!_ She thought as she looked down at the boys uniform she was now wearing.

_--__** Monday Morning, Two weeks ago:**_

_Akane and Ranma were running towards school being chased by Shampoo. They managed to make it only to find Akane's fan club waiting for them. So the usual ruckus followed with Akane and Ranma beating the crap out of them, along with Kuno. Of course it had been another usual morning._

_What they hadn't counted on though, was Mousse springing up on them – Ranma actually – all of a sudden. Ranma dodged his attacks by leaping out of the way, but he'd unfortunately forgotten that Akane had been standing behind him, her back against his. Ranma managed to shout out a warning, but Akane couldn't completely get away in time. One of Mousse's flying chained blades left a long cut in Akane's side. Thankfully the blade tip just scratched her skin, leaving no hint of a wound, but there was a large rip in the side of her uniform that couldn't be mended._

"_Not again!" Akane screamt in frustration. "This was my last one too!" Absolutely mad she gave everyone a death-glare that made them all cower in fear, before storming into the school building towards the school office._

_--_

"_What do you mean you're all out of girl's uniforms?" Akane asked the woman behind the desk, trying to keep her temper in check. She came to buy herself some new girls uniforms, as she was all out of them at home, and since she really needed one._

"_I'm sorry you see we're supposed to change the uniforms, like we'd announced earlier, so we cancelled our usual stock order of the old ones. The principal conveniently forgot his could happen. The new girls uniforms will only come after three months. I'm really sorry Miss Tendo." The woman said giving Akane a sympathetic glance. She knew who this girl was, since she was famous around the whole town of Nerima. And she knew exactly why Akane would've wanted a new uniform._

"_So what do I do now then? The principal will make my life hell if I wore normal clothes to class." Akane asked her._

* * *

Akane sighed. She couldn't believe her bad-luck. She was already called a tomboy everywhere she went and now she was even forced to wear the boys uniform to school. Ranma's stalkers had taken full advantage of this, spreading false rumours that Akane was a cross-dresser. Kodachi had even gone so far to go around screaming that Akane was a lesbian. That one had made Akane see red. It wasn't as if she had anything against homosexuals, it was just that it was plain wrong to go around lying about people.

These whole two weeks had been chaotic. She'd been attacked by Shampoo and Kodachi countless times. The two crazy girls had also 'attacked' Ranma many times in their attempts to gain his love. Ukyo, who was probably the only one of Ranma's suitors who she was actually on some good terms with, had gone cold towards her. Ryouga, Mousse, and came in and out every other day challenging Ranma and somehow managing to drag her into the whole thing – though that turned out to be accidental in all the cases. Kuno was after her even more than before. Hell he'd even tried tailing her after school, thanks to Nabiki's big mouth. Happosai seemed to be targeting her a lot more. Then Pantyhose Taro had dropped in and added to the chaos. And she'd been pulled into so many situations where she had to hear Ranma out his foot in his mouth and insult her. All in all the last two weeks had been hell for Akane.

Akane's only relief had come along with Genkai's intense training schedule, which the old Spirit Master had set up for her. If it hadn't been for Akane's fear of the woman actually killing her if she didn't stick to it – which Genkai was very likely to do – along with Kasumi's help, Akane didn't know how she would've survived the two hellish weeks. Thanks to Genkai, Akane had been so absorbed in her special training that, it made her forget about everything else.

As per Genkai's orders Akane now woke up at four every morning, and by four thirty she was wide awake and silently practising all her basic katas. By five-thirty Kasumi would have a light breakfast ready and waiting for her, all in line with the special diet Genkai had set for her. Six 'o' clock would see Akane doing handstand push ups to increase her arm-strength for an hour, which Kasumi liked to watch her do. (She'd happily told Kasumi that she'd impressed Genkai when she'd learned it in just five tries.) She'd leave the house by seven a.m. for a morning run, and come back by eight. Then she'd freshen up, and gather her things before heading off to school.

Of course she'd go through the usual chaotic school day, with random suitors, and people wanting revenge on Ranma, and some of the NWC popping up. After school she'd head straight for the station as fast as she could, before catching the train. She'd get off after two stops and walk out of the other station to where her brand new eighteen geared mountain bike which Genkai had bought for her would be waiting chained to a metal pole, next to where the police officer usually sat. Unlocking it, she'd cycle to Genkai's shrine, run up the staircase, change into the gear that would be waiting for her, and be ready for training by six. Then for the next two hours Genkai would train her in one-to-one sessions – which gave Akane a lot of bruises.

After the session Yukina would heal her like usual, she'd have her herbal bath – which she'd grown to love, then eat dinner at the shrine. She'd come home (from her friend's house according to her family) and head straight up for bed – well at least that's what her family thought, where she'd proceed with her mediation. Akane had generally taken to doing all her home-work and studying, during the train rides to and fro in order to save time.

She just stayed over at Genkai's on Friday nights for the entire weekend – which she loved the most. During that time they managed to get in around twelve hours of pure one-to-one training. And despite the fact that her schedule was so hectic, she loved it. Especially when yesterday Genkai had told her that she'd done better than Genkai had expected in these two weeks.

But today was a special day. She'd been looking forward to it all week, not just because it was a Friday, and school had Monday, and Tuesday off which meant she was spending a four day weekend at Genkai's. Genkai had called up in the morning to say she had a few surprises for Akane, and that just added to Akane's excitement. Whenever Genkai said she had a surprise for Akane, it always meant that the old woman had found something that once belonged to Asuka – Akane's mother – which would always have an entertaining anecdote attached with it.

Akane smiled as she began making her way out of school. She wanted to get to Genkai's as fast as humanly possible, if not quicker.

* * *

She arrived at Genkai's shrine in an almost hyper mood. And as always Yukina rushed to greet her hugging her tightly. The two had gotten extremely close in these past two weeks.

"Come on, come on! Genkai-sama is waiting for you. You're later than usual." Yukina said dragging her inside.

"I know I'm sorry. I got held up." Akane said shuddering bit on remembering why. Kuno had been waiting at the station for her with a huge bouquet of roses complete in a suit, backed by an orchestra. It had taken her a while to lose him.

They reached the dojo to see an irritated Genkai waiting for them. The moment she saw them, she smacked Akane hard upside the head.

"Ow!" Akane groaned rubbing the back of her head with her free hand, "What was that for?"

"You're late." Genkai said simply and without waiting for an answer she gestured for Akane to follow her as she turned around, leaving the dojo through the other exit which led to the forest outside. "Your surprise is that I may have found a way to be able to train you in a shorter time period."

"Great so what is it?"

"I've been in contact with the prince of Rekkai, Koenma. He'd just met your mother. Apparently since your mother loves you so much, she decided to help you out. So he's given us a new training ground."

"Huh?!"

"Your mother – or should I say her spirit which now lives in the Spirit world Rekkai – paid a visit to Koenma. She asked him to help you. She threatened him with the most dire consequences if he didn't. And since he's shit-scared of her, he put out his whole task-force, made some deals, pulled some strings, and got us a special training ground." Genkai elaborated.

"I don't see how a special training ground is supposed to help." Akane said.

"Well this special training ground is actually a dimension, inside the Spirit Realm. It's inhabited by time spirits – spirits that have the ability to somehow control time. It's a place where time moves at a different pace. Faster or slower depending on the territory of the time spirit you're stepping in. It's a prohibited place for anyone other than King Enma and time-spirits. Koenma coaxed a certain time spirit's into loaning his territory to us to use. One day in his territory is an hour in normal time." Genkai explained. The ground itself drains large amounts of reiki, so anything less than a B class in reiki would probably die. That means that there isn't any drawback since you're an un-mastered A-class at the moment."

"So the only setback is that instead of getting my butt-kicked by you for thirty two hours a week, I'll get it kicked for a month per week because of this training ground?" Akane asked monotonously.

"If you want to put it that way. But I'm not the only one that's going to be training you. I've brought together a few others to help." Genkai said.

"A few others?" Akane asked. As much as the thought of the training ground excited her, she didn't like the thought of having more than one Genkai-like person training her.

"Demons, who are quite good at martial arts. They'll give you variety, so that you know how to deal with different styles." Genkai said. "You can thank Yukina for that."

"Yukina?" she asked casting her koorime friend a glance before realisation hit. "They wont by chance happen to be the people you told me about Yuki-chan, will they?"

"Yes they are." Yukina replied a bit timidly.

"How?" Akane asked dumbfounded.

"Kazuma and Yusuke dropped in on returning from their mission on Wednesday, just after you left. They needed Yukina's help. Kazuma saw your gi and asked Yukina about it, and she told him the whole story. And today morning I get a call from Koenma first telling me about the grounds. Then Yusuke and Kazuma called in, and rounded up everyone they could think off who'd seem eager to help. And that amounted to the whole crew. Lucky you." Genkai answered for Yukina.

"I was only trying to help Akane-chan." Yukina piped in, and Akane smiled endearingly at her. The girl had helped. Better than Akane could've imagined.

"Well we're here. Akane meet your new sparring partners." Genkai said as they finally reached a clearing inside the forest where about more than a dozen people/demons were waiting for her.

* * *

**A/N:** I hate to leave it at a cliff-hanger but this chapter was getting too long. And I didn't want it to seemed dragged out. So anyway leave me a note telling me how you guys liked it. Till the next chapter then. Ciao!


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma or YYH.

**A/N:** Story still going strong. Even though the reviews aren't.

_Italics_ – thoughts.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Akane sighed as she lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to clear her head and go to sleep.

She'd been doing for the past two hours now. It was already nearing one a.m. in the morning.

Next to her she could feel Yukina already sleeping soundly. The two girls were bunking in the same room for the night as everyone else who'd turned up to help train Akane were also spending the night at Genkai's.

When sleep was still not forthcoming after ten more futile minutes of trying, she got up with an aggravated inaudible sigh of frustration and slipped out of Yukina's room and into the hallway.

Not knowing what to do, she headed for the training hall deciding to practice her katas for a while. Perhaps doing them she would probably get tired, and hopefully feel sleepy.

If she didn't, well then at least she'd made good use of her time.

She slid into the training hall quietly, and silently began practicing.

She was thankful that she'd worn track pants, and a comfy shirt to sleep, instead of her usual sleeping clothes. It eliminated the need for her to change, which would involve switching on the lights, and making a bit of noise. That would definitely wake up half of the people in the temple.

As she rehearsed her katas her mind went back to the events of that evening.

It was a certainly eventful one.

* * *

"So the only setback is that instead of getting my butt-kicked by you for thirty two hours a week, I'll get it kicked for a month per week because of this training ground?" Akane asked monotonously.

"If you want to put it that way. But I'm not the only one that's going to be training you. I've brought together a few others to help." Genkai said.

"A few others?" Akane asked. As much as the thought of the training ground excited her, she didn't like the thought of having more than one Genkai-like person training her.

"Demons, who are quite good at martial arts. They'll give you variety, so that you know how to deal with different styles." Genkai said. "You can thank Yukina for that."

"Yukina?" she asked casting her koorime friend a glance before realisation hit. "They wont by chance happen to be the people you told me about Yuki-chan, will they?"

"Yes they are." Yukina replied a bit timidly.

"How?" Akane asked dumbfounded.

"Kazuma and Yusuke dropped in on returning from their mission on Wednesday, just after you left. They needed Yukina's help. Kazuma saw your gi and asked Yukina about it and she told him the whole story. And today morning I get a call from Koenma first telling me about the grounds. Then Yusuke and Kazuma called in, and rounded up everyone they could think off who'd seem eager to help. And that amounted to the whole crew. Lucky you." Genkai answered for Yukina.

"I was only trying to help Akane-chan." Yukina piped in and Akane smiled endearingly at her. The girl had helped. Better than Akane could've imagined.

"Well we're here. Akane meet your new sparring partners." Genkai said as they finally reached a clearing inside the forest where about more than a dozen people/demons were waiting for her.

They were scattered comfortably around the clearing. A handsome boy, around her age, with long red hair and forest-emerald eyes, was sitting down under a tree, a book in hand. He was conversing with another good looking youth whose ice-blue hair with mint green spikes in front looked frosted on, dressed in ninja gear. Sitting on one of the branches of the tree was a rather muscular and handsome red-head, who Akane immediately recognised to be a demon, due to his elfin ears, and tiny unicorn horn protruding from his fore-head. He seemed to be enjoying a rather peaceful nap.

A few trees away Akane could see another man, who was bald save for a blue Mohawk, drinking profusely from a bottle of what seemed to be vodka. Next to him a boy – around ten years old Akane guessed – was chatting with two other men. Both long haired bluenette, and the spiky haired blonde, seemed to come off as a bit pompous.

Seated the farthest from everyone, on a branch of a tree, was a short teen, dressed in black, with black gravity-defying spiky black hair with a white sun-burst seemingly caught up in his own thoughts.

Across them two more youths – who looked to be her age as well – were arguing, heatedly, with one another. The first one looked rather foreboding, being easily taller than the rest, and had looks that Akane usually associated with Yakuza bosses, save for the orange hair. The other one had his raven hair slicked back with gel, not unlike the pimps Akane had seen around Nerima, and he seemed to be a lot like a street-punk.

Next to them three girls were seated chatting animatedly about something, purposefully ignoring the two arguing boys, like it was a daily occurrence. A pretty older brunette was smoking, occasionally sending annoyed glances in the two arguing teens' direction. Though mostly it was to the orange haired teen. Another brunette constantly glared at the raven haired teen. While the third, seemingly looked torn between marching over to the two boys and trying to stop their argument, either by peaceful methods or by smacking them on their heads with the boat-oar she carried.

Out of all the people in the clearing this girl seemed the most familiar to Akane. With her light blue hair, and noticeable bubbly personality. Akane racked her brain trying to figure out where she'd seen this girl before; for she was sure she had – with the boat oar. She couldn't possibly forget someone like her.

She was so into her musings that she vaguely registered Genkai talking to the people, till she felt Yukina nudge her gently in the ribs. She startled and looked down blushing. "Hi my name is Akane Tendo." She said nervously – and in her own point of view rather stupidly – as if she was a new student introducing herself to her new classmates.

She heard someone – a girl – gasp and looked up to meet gem-like pink eyes of the blue haired girl she was staring at earlier. The next thing Akane knew the girl was in front of her talking a mile a minute. "It's you! How are you doing?! I haven't seen you in a while. So has everything else gone back to normal? What happened after you left to go back?" the blue haired girl asked.

"Huh?!" Akane asked dumfounded her surprise and confusion overcoming her nerves.

"Don't you remember me?" the girl asked.

"Afraid not. Though you do seem familiar." Akane meeped. The girl's hyper manner scared her a bit.

"We met a few months back in Jusendo! Anything coming back now?" the girl asked. And Akane realised where she'd met the blue haired girl before.

Her chocolate eyes widened and she blurted out, "Hey aren't you that girl who helped me back to my body when I was turned into a doll? The one that decked that other freaky girl who kept saying she was a grim reaper with your oar and distracted her while I went back to my body?"

Botan nodded happily. "I never got to apologise for her. Amaya just wanted to match up to the normal count she was supposed to have."

"Okay…" Akane trailed off still a bit confused. She had thought the entire thing had been a strange dream. Though now that she thought about it, it seemed a bit foolish to believe it had been a dream after everything else that had happened to her so far.

Akane smiled as the memory of first meeting this hyper blue haired girl came back to her. Akane had been trying to break free from some weird creepy girl, that seemed to be the female version of Gosunkugi, so that she could go to a crying Ranma.

Well actually Akane wanted to go back so that she could deck Ranma for _touching_ her naked form while dressing her. She swore her soul saw him take quite a few good gropes at her chest. She couldn't have made a mistake about it. The nerve of him! When she could have been dead too!

But that was another story since she never got around to doing it after she heard him say those four little words every girl longs to hear. She did feel like going Jack The Ripper on him after he took it back later.

Anyway back to memory of being resurrected. 'Creepy girl' wasn't letting Akane go, saying that she was dead and had to go to the Spirit Realm, while dragging her away. Then suddenly out of nowhere, a girl with light blue hair and gem-like pink eyes came, and smacked the 'Creepy girl' hard on her head with the boat oar the latter had been riding.

"I'm guessing you two have met before." Genkai said, startling Akane out of her thoughts. The girl looked at her nodding the affirmative, seemingly dumbfounded.

"Yeah, during that whole crazy mess that happened at Jusendo a few months back which I told you about. You know, about when I got turned into a doll, while trying to help Ranma, and nearly died." Akane said. She looked at Botan. "And here I was, all that time thinking you were probably a strange dream." She said. "Then again with all the craziness that happens to me, I should've been surprised if it actually was." The chocolate eyed girl grumbled to herself. "Anyway I never got to thank you for helping me." Akane said looking back at Botan.

The girl waved her hand dismissively. "Like I said before, Amaya was just trying to save her own hide at your cost. So anyway did you deck that pervert, for groping you?"

Akane blushed a pretty pink. "Stuff kinda happened after that, which made me forget. But now that I've remembered it, I will give Ranma a few good smacks when I go back home."

"Give the pervert one from me as well. The nerve of that boy, groping you, when you could've nearly been dead! Creepy!" she shuddered. "I'm Botan by the way. I'm a spirit guide, or grim reaper. Whichever way you want to put it."

_Grim reaper doesn't suit her. I can't see her as ever being grim._ Akane thought smiling at the girl. Botan gave her a radiant smile back before dragging Akane with her to introduce her to everyone.

* * *

Akane smiled as she remembered that. She'd never thought she'd see Botan ever again after Jusendo. Especially since she thought Botan had been nothing but a figment of her imagination. And then all of a sudden out of nowhere the girl appears, and becomes her new best friend.

She shook her head while pondering, as she brought her leg down from the kata. How couldn't anyone become fast and lasting friends with people like Yukina and Botan? Those two girls were one-of-a-kind. In a good way.

Yukina was calm, like Kasumi. She had an innocent childish air about her. She was the shy girl next door one couldn't help but loving.

Botan on the other hand was exactly the opposite and yet at the same exactly the same. She too had the innocent childish air around her. But while Yukina was the shy, polite one, Botan was the boisterous, energetic, hyper kid.

The more she thought about it, the more Akane found herself smiling. Especially when she remembered how Botan introduced everyone to her. The girl did have an odd yet amusing way of describing people.

* * *

"Come on Akane-chan, I'll introduce you to the others." Botan smiled as she pulled the blue haired Tendo to where she'd been standing earlier.

"The girl with the cigarette is Shizuru Kuwabara. She's really cool, and can make someone's eyes bleed just by glaring at them, if she wanted to. The girl next to her is Keiko Yukimura. She can slap to high heaven and back. She generally comes over to cook for the guys when they practice."

"Moving over to the two idiots that were creating such a ruckus. The large orange haired one is Kazuma Kuwabara, Shizuru's younger brother. The other idiot is Yusuke Urameshi. He's Keiko's boyfriend. Poor girl, to be stuck with an idiot like him. Both those idiots need Anger Management along with brains. They're the reason all of us are here."

"The drunk is Chuu. I still have to figure out how alcohol acts as a stimulant for him. The kid is Rinku. Brat if I may say so myself. But he's a nice brat. The nutcase with the spiky blonde hair is Suzuki. He's a clown. Literally. Genkai beat the crap out of him during the Dark Tournament. You should've seen it. You do know about the dark Tournament right? The other dude is Shishiwakamaru or Shampoo-Boy as Yusuke calls him. He and Suzuki were on the same team. Genkai beat the crap out of him as well. Then again Genkai beats the crap out of anyone and everyone she fights. All of them are youkai, just so that you should know."

"The blue haired ninja is an ice demon. Name's Touya. The red-head next to him is Shuichi Minamino. Well that's his human name. He's really the re-incarnation of an infamous kitsune thief Youko Kurama. Walk with him on roads at your own risk. His fan-club is raving mad. The other red head sleeping on the branch is Jin. He's a wind demon. Nice cheery guy. Has quite a good sense of humour too."

"And last but not the least, the short sulking gothic emo brat dressed in black seated oh-so far away from us is Hiei Jaganashi. He's also youkai. If anyone in the world ever needed a hug as a kid, it had to be him. Oh and we'll be meeting Koenma later. You'll have a good laugh when you meet him." Botan concluded pointing to everyone as she introduced them. Akane nearly had to pinch herself to stop herself from laughing hard at some of Botan's comments. Especially the ones about the spiky haired demon Hiei.

* * *

Akane smiled. Yup Botan sure did have an amusing way of describing people. Her oddball cheery ways had definitely been the highlight of the evening before Koenma came and took them to Rekkai for training. Akane giggled at the memory of meeting the Prince of Rekkai. She still couldn't get over the pacifier. Especially with Botan's oh-so-innocent comments about how it could be used for other unmentionable things. She'd never cracked up as hard ever as she had today.

She continued to ponder on her new found 'trainers' as she continued practicing.

Kazuma, Botan, Jin, and Yusuke were definitely the life of the group with their antics.

Shishiwakamaru and Suzuki were nice guys. They just needed an attitude adjustment. And an ego trashing. Though Botan said it didn't quite work for them since they would bounce back.

Chuu was crazy, no further explanations were required. Rinku was cute, and that was that.

Keiko was fun. Akane had found a lot of commonalities with the brunette. The girl wasn't much of a fighter though, unless you count the hard slaps she gave Yusuke. Those definitely must've hurt like hell. Akane was quite tempted to ask Keiko her technique. It could come in quite handy for Ranma, and Kuno. But the brunette was definitely an amazing cook.

Kurama and Touya were the thinkers along with Shizuru. The brunette was really cool just like Botan had said. She was amazingly confident and laid back. Akane could see why Yukina looked up to Shizuru. The brunette defined feminine strength. Kick-ass, hardcore, feminine strength that is.

And finally the most confusing person out of everybody was Hiei Jaganashi. He was always aloof from the others. Rarely speaking, and replying with an 'Hn' to everything when he spoke. The short spiky haired demon was definitely an enigma.

She was surprised out of her musings when she noticed said enigma watching her moves from his place by the wall of the dojo.

"When did you get here?" she asked.

"A while." The short demon replied keeping his crimson-brown gaze fixed on her. Akane felt unnerved by it.

"Oh!" she said timidly, her cheeks flushing. She couldn't understand why though. Maybe because it was the first words he said to her all evening besides 'Hn.'

"Anyway I think I'll go back to sleep. It's pretty late." She said as she began walking out of the dojo. "Good night Hiei-san." She called out from the door.

"Hn." Came his signature reply, and Akane found herself smiling as she walked back to her room.

_He's one enigma I definitely wanna figure out._ She thought as she stared up at the ceiling of the room she was sharing with Yukina.

* * *

**A/N:** So how was it? I'm sorry it wasn't any longer. Anyway I have to get back to my hectic schedule so leave a note and Ciao!


	6. Chapter 5

****

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½ or Yu-Yu-Hakusho. I'd be filthy stinking rich if I did ne?

**A/N:** Firstly: A hearty apology for my long absence.

Secondly: This next chapter, as it will be mentioned in the chapter itself, takes place after a gap of time. And it switches from thoughts to what's happening before going back to thoughts. Hence don't grumble about it changing so drastically.

Third: I'm not so sure about this one here, but I think my style of writing has changed. (Preparing for writing only facts in point form, before elaborating on random nonsense to show a big answer, or doing only math for exams tends to do that to one's writing.)

* * *

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Chapter 5 (Akane's P.O.V)

Five months, I realised as I gazed out of the window at school. Despite the fact I should've been concentrating in class, I couldn't help but just stare into space. _Five months already, huh? Doesn't really seem like it._ I thought, and then automatically mentally smacked myself on the head for being surprised. Of course five months wouldn't seem like four months when you trained with someone in a time-field!

A loud slam broke me out of my daze, and I briefly looked away from the window to see Principal Kuno in class trying to stop himself from being drained by Hinako-sensei, before going back to gazing out the window. It was the usual madness.

The fact that it had been five months since that fateful day when I met Genkai for the first time seemed so unreal. It seemed much longer and yet shorter. I shook my head to clear it of the contradicting thoughts, and a smile made its way onto my face. Five months. So much had changed for me in that time. My life had figuratively taken that one hundred and eighty degree turn. And thinking back now, as I cast my chaotic classroom another brief glance, I was sure it was for the better.

Five months ago, on one faithful day, I finally broke. I'd caved in from the accumulation of everything and broke. And I had wept in the presence of the dead, and a past filled with childhood memories I – and all my other sisters for that matter – suppressed. After all having a parent die and growing up without them was never an easy thing to do. Especially when the parent was a mother. But somehow it was ironical at how I'd found my salvation in the same ghosts of my past. If I hadn't gone to the baby room in need of solitude that day, I would've probably never found my mother's journal, never read it. And I would've still been breaking even further today stuck in the same rut of chaos in Nerima. Or considering my _problem_ I'd probably be in a hospital dieing.

_But no._ I had found that journal, and read it. I had found that letter addressed to me from my mother. I'd sought out Genkai, and become her student. I'd begun the long and hard road of rigorous training in the Martial Arts from the very beginning. Gazing out of the window I realised – in a rather philosophical manner – that after being broken, I'd taken the necessary step that would eventually end up to me rebuilding myself, without an inkling of realisation at what I'd done.

And rebuild myself, I had, with immense help from Genkai. I felt much better about myself than I'd ever done. My physical health was getting back on track, and now I was probably more fit than ever, thanks to Genkai and the pink haired spirit master's training and workout regime. My mental health was stabilising now, credited to an extensive amount of meditation or always having my mind too full of thoughts to bother. My emotions weren't going haywire anymore now, actually I'd sobered down on that front, again thanks to meditation. My grades were back to it's optimum, since I was now managing to micromanage time in such a way as to make time for them. I was getting really good with martial arts thanks to all the training I was doing in the time fields with everyone under Genkai's supervision.

Adding the pack of crazy and fun new non-conventional friends I made on the way, that included reiki masters, Rekkai Tantei, youkai, shinigami, and even the prince of Rekkai himself; and my new attitude helped too.

I'd changed and improved so much Genkai's – and Kasumi's – care that looking back now at how I used to be, I was utterly surprised. Kami really bless my sister and the slave-driver I called sensei or occasionally "Granny".

Thanks to Genkai's immense training regime and diet, I'd not only had I managed to stay in shape, but I toned myself down a lot. Well I had to credit Botan dragging Keiko, Yukina, and me along with her for dance classes for that as well. Now I was completely devoid of my "cute" baby fat. I found my new and still increasingly lithe, athletic figure really comfortable to live in. The fact that now I didn't have to search for custom fits when I shopped, due to my rather thick thighs, and biceps, was icing on the cake. It used to be a rather hard thing to do. Especially since the female members of the NWC (most of who were also Ranma's suitors) had the habit of popping in and provoking me. (And really there's only _so_ much you can do with being in denial.)

And my stamina now could surely put the rest of NWC to shame. (Obsessively doing one-armed hand-stand push-ups, and power running, cycling, and fighting youkai and reiki masters in time fields, _everyday_ did that to you. Though actually if you just climbed up and down the staircase to Genkai's temple once a day, it was enough.)

I'd stopped having emotional outbursts on the regular now. Meditation tended to do that. And if you wanted to be good at anything, being able to be calm and collected was the first thing you had to learn. Emotional outbursts, nervous breakdowns, wouldn't get you very far in the long run. It had calmed me down to such a degree. Sometimes now I surprised myself at how laid-back, and calm I could now handle situations. It sometimes bordered on distant and apathetic.

My grades were steadily increasing, which made me really happy, since it meant that I'd definitely be able to go to a college now. It was one worry from my mind that disappeared. Ever since Ranma had appeared and eventually brought the entire NWC with him, it seemed like I never get into one. And if I indeed got into a college I was sure they'd follow me there to wreak havoc on my life there as well. Now if they did I had my own methods of dealing with them.

I'd been able to concentrate of my studies more nowadays. _Hell, I'd actually been able to study now compared to earlier!_ The train rides to and fro between Nerima and Genkai's were the reason for that. And I realised once you learnt how to study, _really study_, in a train during rush hour, and still be aware of everything around you, you could study just about anywhere, anytime, any situation. The chaos in Nerima courtesy of the NWC, eating, kata rehearsal, and during one armed hand-stand push-ups inclusive. Actually for me, for some reason, exercise and studying went hand-in-hand easily. Something – which was to my delight – that had slowly begun to creep Nabiki and many others out. And a freaked out Nabiki was always an amusing thing, since it was so rare. The others were just added bonuses

And my martial arts skills? Slowly but surely I was becoming one to be reckoned with. My katas were no longer just rigid moves, brute strength, and primal robotic, like how they used to be. Thanks to Genkai extensively forcing me to do yoga and Botan dragging me for dance classes (which Genkai encouraged much to my surprise) my katas were actually katas now. They were more fluent and well done. My clumsiness had gotten extremely rare now. And much to my delight I was now actually being able to keep up with Genkai, and not get totally wasted like earlier.

No, I was not up to Ranma's calibre. I was sure I'd never be. I'm not going to myself into believing we could ever be equals. But I found that I didn't care, since in retrospect I couldn't really be compared to Ranma or any other martial artist in Nerima. I was initially self-taught, and relatively low on experience, while all the others had been doing this since they were kids. Really there was never any comparison to begin with. And I was sure there never would be, since considering the path I'd now chosen, (I'd now chosen the path of becoming a spirit master and succeeding Genkai, considering Yusuke had already opted out of that. And since my mother had been logically the first choice, had she succeeded I would naturally be succeeding her anyway) once I mastered the basics of Martial Arts, I'd move on to my basic reiki training, before intermediate training simultaneously in both fields. So comparing myself to any of the fighters in Nerima would be useless.

But I was pretty sure, time-field or not, being able to deflect basic reiki or youki attacks with just basic martial arts moves had to count for something. Other than pure insanity, and a severely bruised body. Because I was sure that Genkai was the only teacher alive, to force her novice level student to fend for herself against trained and high level fighters going all out, most of which included A-class demons and higher, in an all on one. The fact that they were allowed to use their reiki, or youki attacks, while I was restricted to pure martial arts, was probably plain cruelty on Genkai's part. Actually Genkai was probably the only one _ever_ to do that. Period.

She called it 'Power Levelling'.

_Sadistic Slave-driver of a teacher!_ I thought.

Really I knew we were running low on time when it came to my little problem, but still!

I would've have been dead by now, if the guys hadn't actually held back against me. Just because I was an untrained A-class didn't mean I was invulnerable. I didn't believe the old woman, when she said that _if_ I had died it wouldn't have mattered, since Koenma would resurrect me. Really, I had already died and been resurrected once. It wasn't one of those experiences which I ever wanted to relive. Yusuke who'd been in the same situation more than once had empathised with me.

"_Dieing and being resurrected sucks big time! And it's totally frustrating, not to mention really weird."_ Yusuke had once told me, when we were taking a break from training. Albeit he'd said it in a more simplistic and crude way punctuated often by slang and curses.

Even Kurama had been on my side for that argument. I guessed that going through the process of re-incarnation was similar. He'd told me it was more frustrating than dieing and being resurrected, especially if one retained their previous memories. Apparently it was extremely strange to be a fully grown and mature person stuck in the body of a defenceless baby.

My _Poor_ Kurama. My _Poor_ Yusuke. I felt for them. I really did. We were kindred spirits.

My gaze fell to the school gates, where I saw a pretty older brunette, cigarette in mouth, standing as if waiting for someone. So Shizuru _had_ actually come. The girls were planning on meeting up for lunch in Nerima. I wasn't sure about the other girls, since being involved with what we were you could never know.

Since meeting the gang, it hit me for the first time how hectic and unexpected life could really be, when you were counted as part of that select number of beings that we belonged to. Yusuke, Kazuma, and Kurama doubled as students and Rekkai Tantei. Yusuke, and Kurama also helped with Makkai administrative affairs. Eventually they'd ended up dragging Kazuma into it as well. Hiei kept going back and forth between Makkai, Ningenkai, and Rekkai since he was a Rekkai Tantei, higher up in Makkai politics, and a guard for the barriers between the worlds. Hence the entire original group managed to stick together.

Koenma had to oversee relations between Makkai and Rekkai, help protect Ningenkai, deal with assigning places for _every_ dead soul, and head and take responsibility for _every_ Rekkai Tantei. Botan's shinigami duties would tire someone out if they just listened to it. Botan had to actually _do_ them.

Jin, Touya, Chuu, Rinku, Shishiwakamaru, and Suzuki all worked as guards for the Makkai gates, and messengers for Makkai to Rekkai and Ningenkai. They also occasionally helped the Rekkai Tantei. Mukuro was actually the head of one of the four administrative zones Makkai was divided into, on addition to being a head ambassador for Rekkai, Makkai, and Ningenkai peace.

Yukina and Genkai, and sometimes Keiko functioned as hosts to all main Rekkai, and Makkai ambassadors. Not to mention that the petite koorime kept flittering between worlds for healing duties to the big-shots. Genkai and Yukina, along with Botan, Keiko, Yusuke's mother Atsuko, Shizuru – and more recently me, ever since Koenma had hired me – functioned as sweepers for our Rekkai Tantei. We would clear things up, clean up the collateral damage, handle the human interaction, and tie up all the lose ends so to speak, after Yusuke and the crew finished off. In short we were damage control. Koenma explained that for some reason women were good at this sort of thing. We agreed. Really we couldn't see someone like Hiei trying to explain to a crying five year old why the entire place was smoky black, or why his mother was missing, or why there were 'things' flying about, without traumatising the poor child. Imagine the counselling the kid would have to go through in later life! They could end up like someone on the NWC! They could end up like one of the Kuno siblings! Oh the horror!

Being damage control for the guys also explained how come I'd gotten so close to everyone, especially the girls.

I grinned at Shizuru, as the brunette looked up and met my gaze. She gave a short wave before, what I assumed was glaring at him, judging by the way the boy who was checking her out hightailed it. I began chortling silently. "Trust Shizuru to take every opportunity to make someone's eyes bleed." I mumbled quietly to myself, checking the time on my wristwatch. It read 12:20 pm. That meant I still had ten more minutes for school to get out for lunch.

I cast the brunette waiting by the school gates a quick glance. Shizuru Kuwabara was not known to be the most patient of people, and then looking up at the pandemonium the class was in, I was sure that there wouldn't be anything important done. I didn't want to keep the older Kuwabara waiting. Who knows who she'd kill out of frustration?

Casting everyone else a quick glance, I slid my book into my bag, picked it up, and slowly got up, careful not to draw attention to myself or make any noise. Then in a rush I made my way for Hinako-sensei and Principal Kuno. To everyone else I would've appeared to be joining in the fray, considering the sudden rather unflattering comment about me from Ranma. So once I made it into the crowd, no one noticed me slip between them, and to the door, and then beyond.

I made it outside school without any incident, and greeted Shizuru Kuwabara. The brunette gave me a lazy smile, through the cigarette smoke. "Still in the boy's uniform?" she asked.

I nodded. "There's been a delay for the new uniforms, and the old stock still hasn't been replenished. So, yeah I'm still wearing this. But I really don't mind. I've grown rather fond of it. Considering the decrease rates in my involvement in all the Nerima chaos, I'm beginning to think that this may be my lucky charm."

"Or maybe you're so used to wearing stuff like this, since you have to keep borrowing clothes from the other guys, whenever you stay over, that it doesn't make a difference anymore?"

"Could be that." I shrugged. On the receiving end from the look Shizuru sent me, I sighed. "Fine! Fine! It is that! But you can't blame me! I can't afford to let my uniform get wrecked. And considering how excited and rowdy we all get with anything, and everything, can you blame me? They've already wrecked three fourths of my wardrobe with irremovable stains, ranging from coffee, to youkai blood and innards. It's so bad that I've had to buy a whole new wardrobe… And you know messy cleaning up after them gets. Especially when said cleaning up, happens to be the aftermath of their missions."

Shizuru nodded sagely, and a bit tiredly, which made me raise my eyebrows. Seeing this she sighed, then yawned. "I was called out for another sweep after you left last night. Didn't get much sleep. And my day-job doesn't really help things either. I thank Atsuko for getting me a job. I really do. But sometimes I wished she didn't."

"You're in the Yakuza right?" I asked.

"Nope. I function as a messenger for them though. Helps me with being an informant to Rekkai about the few Yakuza bosses who may have youkai connections."

I nodded to show I agreed. Shizuru really looked beat. "You know if you're tired you should've gone home."

"It wouldn't make sense. I had to deliver some stuff to Nerima. And I'm going to be in Nerima the whole day. I only got off for lunch."

"Oh." I said rather stupidly and worriedly. Shizuru didn't look to good. And she'd have to drive back home.

"Don't worry about me. The great Kurei Mizuki already has enough on her plate without me adding to it." She said giving me a light smile through her cigarette, while using the nickname I'd been given by Genkai, which eventually had caught on with everyone else. It now functioned as my alias when I worked for Koenma. "I'll be fine. A hot cup of coffee should wake me right up."

I smiled, and began to walk away from school in step with her, as we made our way to the restaurant we were supposed to meet the others in. I couldn't help mentally going over the past five months again as we walked.

I had changed so much in so little time, actually. I was smarter, stronger, and more relaxed with myself than before.

Actually I just realised, that this was probably the _real_ me. This girl who was walking so care-free about Nerima focusing only on what she had in front of her now, despite everything. Despite the chaos, the fiancée problem, the duties to Rekkai, and possibly her near pending death in the future due to her reiki problem. Because despite whatever I had faced, was facing and probably would face… Despite_ every-fucking little-thing_, for the first time in my life, I was actually living it. And not living for the sake of it. Not for the sake of my family. Not for whoever thought I owed them. Not for the girl I was supposed to be.

_I was actually living it for myself. Only for myself._

_And it felt good._

Yes this new girl who'd come to be known as Kurei Mizuki by all her close friends now, was the _real Akane Tendo._

And I was damn proud of it.

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A/N: For the sake of all those who'd been waiting for this chapter to come out, I sincerely hope it met your expectations, and that you enjoyed it.

Anyway I've sign off here now.

Leave a note then. Ciao!


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the animes I write about.

**A/N:** Nothing much to say here. Except that it picks up right after the last chapter. Akane might be a bit OOC here since I'm changing her character. (Which was bound to happen eventually) And she refers to the YYH girls simply as 'the girls' BTW.

And since it's in Akane's P.O.V; I'm basically writing her thoughts. So I've made it as realistic to a normal thought process as possible. Hence the inclusion of random sentences/comments here and there that, make no sense whatsoever, seem too broken, don't fit into the situation, or seem too wtf are completely intentional, since that's how a human's normal thought process goes. (You know like when you're thinking of something, and something very unrelated comes to mind and leaves in a flash.) Also they add comic effect. At least I think they do.

Scratches head. All right I'm confused now. So I'll just let you read the story. And damn this A/N is long! Sorry 'bout that.

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**Chapter 6 (Akane's P.O.V.)**

_This_ just goes to show how chaotic Nerima is thanks to the NWC. And also how the Gods love messing up my life beyond belief, after I finally manage to get some semblance back into it.

When I made my way back to school after lunch, accompanied by the girls ten minutes ago, everything was fine and dandy…… Genkai had gotten pissed off at something midway through the meal and left as usual. She did it on the regular so no hard feelings there. And Atsuko had to get back to work, so she'd left as well……

The girls and I were just chatting by the school gate to kill some time till the bell for class rung. It was the usual stuff; Hairdos, shopping, music, books, anime, mangas, fandoms, movies, parties, youkai cleanups, Makkai politics, Koenma actually acting his age instead of being like a four hundred year old overgrown baby, yada, yada, yada, etc. Mostly it was trying to finish our (what seemed to be) eternal rushed catch-up with each other, Mukuro and Natsumi especially, considering we rarely met those two. Well now-a-days we rarely met Natsumi, thanks to fact whenever she dropped by Chuu would steal her from us…… Stupid drunk! And she's my favourite female sparring partner too! ……

Mukuro had become became a familiar face to us now; since she had to keep travelling back and forth between Makkai, Ningenkai, and Rekkai constantly for various reasons, ranging from inter-dimensional politics to chasing after Hiei to give him something he left behind…… Really those two were such an adorable couple. Especially since Hiei had a tendency to blush whenever she spoke to him – even though he denied it vehemently…… And if he was that bad before when Mukuro still had her acid burns; after Genkai and Yukina healed them we didn't know what to do with our poor Forbidden Child…… Though the guys and some of the girls settled for laughing themselves to kingdom come about it…… Yukina and me, just tried to stop ourselves from losing our composure and screaming "Kawaii!!" like obsessed fan-girls when he did that. But it was hard. Really how many times did you get to see Hiei – _Hiei of all people!_ – blush like a schoolgirl in love? ……

But we didn't blame our little Pyro-pixie. No we didn't. _We couldn't!_ After all no one could deny it. Mukuro was a bombshell. Naturally soft rust-brown hair, ocean blue eyes, angular features…… Those features itself can start the drool factor. Don't get me started on the body.

Hmm I think I've drifted off from my original thoughts. I tend to do that a lot now-a-days. What _was_ I thinking about? …… Oh yeah about the Nerima chaos. Wow my train of thought sure is funny…… and disturbing. Nerima chaos and NWC to Mukuro's good looks? Add that as another point for insanity to the tabulation of my non-existent mental stability…… Have I added talking to myself yet? …… I think I have…… But I'm not too sure…… Oh what the hell, I'll add it again!

So anyway…… where was I? …… oh yes…… The girls and I were catching up, as we'd been damned to eternally do it seems, when suddenly who should rush past us in a haste to cause mayhem laughing insanely like she always does? Kuno Kodachi of course! Gymnast ensemble, ribbons, batons and all…… And wow Fluorescent green really kills the eyes…… Of all the colours, why that one for Kami's sake?! …… Is she in Rock Lee / Maito Gai Otaku mode? …… No wait they don't wear that colour either.

And of course since, just like misery, I've learned that chaos too loves company, the rest of the NWC followed. I of course; sticking to my resolution to not get involved with this madness, and avoiding the entire NWC altogether for the sake of whatever little shreds that have been left of my sanity; squeaked and yanked Shizuru – our resident 'I will murder you with glares alone if you piss me off' brunette – in front of my as human barriers of vision. Mukuro put up an invisibility barrier around us girls as soon as I did that.

I love Mukuro…… I really do…… I'm going to build a little shrine for her and worship her for this…… I'll turn it into a religion too, and gather followers, and then funds. And then it'll become a world-wide phenomenon……

And hence now invisible to everyone else, and therefore me being out of danger of involvement, we began to watch the mayhem unfold……

Apparently Kodachi had baked cookies for Ranma during her lunch break. And hence she came to feed said freshly baked cookies to him…… Insert la _Sarcasm_ right here…… And Ukyo – who'd already latched onto Ranma – was trying to tear Ranma from the '_Black Witch's_' grasp as Shampoo puts it…… I was going over the final cuts on my mental list of what drug could possibly be in those cookies, when another NWC showed up.

Maybe it was because I was so amusedly engrossed in trying to figure out what Kodachi's cookies had been drugged with, that I hadn't noticed the new havoc wreaker before they'd disappeared from my line of vision. But I didn't have to wonder who it was for long. After there's only one girl in Nerima who speaks broken Japanese mixed with bits of Mandarin, or calls Ranma 'Airen'…… and manages to destroy property while doing that.

Speaking of property, there went another of our favourite campus trees. The school needs to start planting more of them…… Oh and I guess that's good-bye to our new gym-wall too…… What replacement number are we one now?

Considering Shampoo had already joined the fray, Mousse was bound to follow. And sure enough he came. Glasses askew, arms flailing as he tried to keep his balance, running at full speed, weapons consisting of everything – kitchen sink inclusive – flying out left, right, and centre, while yelling threats to Ranma. And look, he brought Ryouga and Konatsu along with him…… how nice of him…… Konatsu's new hairdo looks cool. I'll ask him about it later. It'll go well on Yukina…… And ow! Poor Ryouga. He didn't even do anything yet……

Ah that's another pothole on the grounds…… Wonder what that can be used for? It's rather deep…… Maybe we could bury Happosai in there alive, and he'll choke for lack of air and die? …… Hmm that sounds like a nice idea. Definitely has it's merits…… I'll tell dad later…… No wait Taro's a better option.

Hmm, seems like Nabiki has started taking bets already. Atta Girl! …… Oh wait she might be involving me in that…… If she has I swear I won't be responsible for the dead lizards she'll find in her cupboard tonight…… or the rotting rats in her food…… or the horribly mutilated youkai obtained courtesy of Hiei in her bath…… I like the last one. I think I'll try it out…… If not Nabiki, there's always someone else…… Like Ranma…… I wonder if I'm turning evil? ……

Hey damnit I liked that! …… Mousse really deserves to rot in hell at times…… He has glasses for a reason! To wear them so that he isn't blind! Why can't he use them damnit?! …… And I really like that grounds centrepiece statue too…… That's it, he's gonna have dead rats in his food tonight…… Wait he's blind most of the time. He might actually eat them…… Eww! Gross! Must think happy thoughts! Must think happy thoughts now! …… Wait why did Mukuro dissolve the barrier? …… Oh poor thing's too stunned to notice. Never mind then. The NWC hasn't noticed me anyway…… yet.

Well since Ranma's main 'adversaries' had shown up, the Blue Thunder of Furnikan was bound to come as well, for the sole purpose of not being left out. And there came the wannabe Shakespearean Samurai, all fired up in all his self fed glory…… Ouch! That fall must've really hurt. Kuno-senpai should really pay attention to where he goes sometimes. It'll help him in the long-run…… Hell it might even help him get himself a date if he stopped tripping over his own two feet in excitement. Though I'd never date him ever. He's just not my type……

That's another hole to be patched up for our school main hall…… Wonder which poor soul will be roped into doing it this time? I sure as hell won't……

Kuno siblings, Konatsu, Ryouga, Mousse, Ukyo, Shampoo, Ranma, I mentally ticked off…… wait where was Pantyhose Taro and Happosai? …… Ah there they were! Pantyhose chasing the little old man who had a bundle full off women's undergarments as usual…… I can't understand why Happosai just doesn't change Taro's name properly. But in a way I don't care. Ever since Taro became a permanent resident of Nerima as of three months ago, Happosai isn't able to steal that much lingerie any more. Taro apparently is a very staunch feminist, even though he hides it, and hence sees Happosai as a nuisance to women – which the old pervert _so_ totally is. So now along with having Happosai change his name from Pantyhose Taro to something more _mundane_ and acceptable to normal decent society, Taro also took it upon himself to try his best and keep Happosai in check. Along with being one of Ranma's latest adversaries…… As to why I have absolutely no clue……

But then again this is Ranma…… and this is the NWC…… Safe to say everything rational and logic went out of the window, over the rooftops, and flew all the way to the Bermuda Triangle where they're enjoying a nice vacation when it came to these people…… And did I just think of 'Rational thought' and 'Logic' as entities? …… Wow this proves that being close the NWC in mayhem mode kill brain-cells and sanity.

Oh Taro spotted me. He's winking…… Yeah hey to you too Taro. Don't tell anyone I'm here though…… I like Taro. We get along well. He's nice to me…… We have this weird friendship/sibling thing going on…… We talked when he kidnapped me. He wasn't gentle but he wasn't rude either. Just determined…… We now flirt with each other playfully for the heck of it, just like I do with Yusuke, Jin, Kurama, and some of the other guys…… He generally helps me avoid the NWC, or distracts them when I'm around. Keeps me company in the train ride to and fro from Nerima, since he works outside the town. Makes sure no one gropes me. Gets all over protective big brotherly-like when someone does, and kicks their ass for me, so that I can study. Buys me mangas along with Kazuma, Yusuke, and Kurama…… I buy him ice-cream in return. Give him Happosai's whereabouts. Help him with his studies. Help him clean his apartment once a week. Be his annoying little sister for the heck of it and tease him with random girls who we see on the train. Cook for him when he's too busy chasing Happosai or Ranma…… Yes I can cook now. It's edible. And according to the gang (Rekkai Tantei and co.) and Taro rather tasty.

Ooh! And there goes our new bench-swings…… Damn I used to like them. Comfy for lunch. Wonder what the couples will do now? …… And is that Gosunkugi in that little dark corner sitting on the skulls and chanting curses? Haven't seen him in a while…… Ah it is!! …… Wow he's put on some weight now. Good for him! He doesn't look so much like a skeleton anymore.

Hey that's Hinako-sensei! She looks fired up today. Ooh! Energy draining time! …… And here she comes into the fray…… And there goes Kodachi's cookies……. And there goes Hinako-sensei too…… Well that was productive……

And the entire process from Kodachi entering Furinkan to Hinako-sensei chasing after the cookies, took a grand total of six minutes. It was terribly impressive.

Ooh the girls looked freaked out…… Yes, yes this happens almost everyday…… duck the lamppost headed our way…… Yup, I've borne up with all of this…… Nice uppercut Ryouga! You get more kick-ass every time I see you…… Yes Mukuro this is what happens in my life in Nerima. Probably why I have youkai slaughter tendencies like Hiei…… Ooh Kodachi got kicked in the ribs by Ukyo and Shampoo! Nice! …… Yeah Yukina I can understand. No matter how many times you've heard about it, it's really surreal when you see it with your own eyes ne? …… Ooh! Bitch-fest! Yay! …… No Shizuru, Natsumi, I'm perfectly fine. Thank you for asking…… There goes the school's new drinking water fountain. That was the pretty one too…… Yes Keiko. There, there now. I can understand. It's pretty traumatising isn't it? …… That's another of the new drinking water fountains. The management will have a heart attack in the evening…… No Botan I don't need a hug…… Think Hiei does though. Actually he could do with a slew of them. Hey don't glare at me like that Mukuro! It was a joke……

Anyway it's almost time for the bell, so I think I should head back inside the main school building. Actually sneak back into the building. I signalled the girls to tell them I was leaving. Said good-byes to all of them. They seemed really worried, and traumatised. I didn't blame them. Compared to this all the other madness we faced concerning Rekkai and Makkai seemed much more easier on the mental health. Because in all their madness, youkai are still much more saner than this. As contradictory as that it.

I slipped into the campus and began to sneak my way into the school building. I had almost made it, when I was taken by surprise by someone sweeping me into a bear-hold. Rather trying to sweep me into a bear hold. I, luckily and thankfully, dodged on instinct, before kicking my attacker rather hard in the stomach.

"Oh Akane my sweet, you're still a fireball of energy!"

Huh?! Fireball of energy? Only Kuno-senpai spoke like that. Oops it was him! Great now I've been spotted. I'll have to get into school before anyone notices me.

Ducking the baton headed my way I realised that it was too late. There was no escape today. At least that's what the girls charging at me seemed to portray. Wonder what I'm gonna do now? Genkai forbade me from fighting with these guys. I'm still a bit injured from our last youkai sweep, which was more dangerous than it should've been. My poor leg! And I don't feel like getting into this madness anyway. The youkai sweeping business is enough. And considering doing _that_ you never know when you're needed, I do have to conserve my energy. Even though I wouldn't mind some practice…… But then considering this is the NWC, if they even realise a tiny bit I've improved all hell will break loose. I sighed.

And the day had started out on such perfect note too. The sun had been shining; the birds were singing; and all that other stuff that generally happens on a good day. To think it would've led to this: Me spotted, cornered, and about to be attacked, when I'm injured, forbidden from fighting, and totally not in the mood. Well even if I was in the mood and not injured I'm still forbidden from fighting. And I'm in no mood to go up against Genkai. That woman sure is terrifying and too all-knowing for her own good…… For such a beautiful morning to lead to this…… Such a truly terrible thing.

Well I guess I've been backed into a corner. Avoiding them like I usually do, failed miserably…… And it had been working so well up till now too…… They're not going to listen to reason. I'm forbidden from fighting. Blasting them to the other end of Nerima is a definite 'no-no' since Genkai's forbidden me from doing that too. And ignoring their existence, pretending this didn't happen, and walking away right now has a snowballs chance in hell of working…… And whatever I'm going to do I have to do it soon…… Damn! I guess I have no other option. I hope this works, and Taro spots my bluff in time to help me. Sighing again I crouch down to where Kuno-senpai is sprawled on the ground…… I really hope that I won't go to hell for what I'm about to do. Or die from the consequences and repercussions of the aftermath of this, in disgust and revulsion. Here goes nothing.

"Kuno-senpai." I whisper softly, making it sound like a purr, and wait for it. Just like expected he perks up immediately, just like how guys do for Botan. I'm glad he's such an idiot, and the fact that the girls would get distracted by each other for long enough to pull this off. Too bad it wouldn't be long enough for me to escape. That would've been so much better…… But Kuno's fairly easy to hypnotise. And he'll buy me enough time to make my escape from here. I don't think this will clear up in two minutes. Or that school will restart.

"You know how you keep calling yourself the 'Blue Thunder of Furinkan' right? Now's your time to prove it. Won't you be my brave and handsome knight and save me from those wretched evil witches? Please Kuno-senpai? There's a reward in it for you too." I purr giving him a little wink. Coy, playful, and yet innocent and shy. And he – being the absolute lust-struck idiot that he is – falls hook, line, and sinker for it.

"Of course, my dear Akane!" he declares in his usual dramatic way, clutching my hands in his. "I shall banish these evil witches for you my darling. And then we shall ride off into the sunset!"

O…….kay……! What crack is he smoking seriously?! It must be pretty good considering the fantasy world he's created for himself…… Oh well, what the hell anyway? It's not like I'm actually bothered. I just want to escape this place…… I give him my best 'admiring awestruck princess' looks, which he buys. Much to my twisted amusement. And now I have this horrible urge to laugh out loudly…… The looks Taro is sending me isn't really helping either…… But then again I guess it must be equally funny for him. And at least he's caught on to my act and knows I'm up to something. Which means he'll help me get out of here……

And people wonder why I say Taro is my best friend in the Nerima district.

So now I've set the plan into motion. All I need is for it to work. And for that I need Kuno and Taro to do the rest. Which they will, since Kuno's an idiot too in love with me, and Taro is just Taro and he's nice that way. So three… two… one… here we go……

* * *

I laugh as we soared through the air. Taro's being nice and giving me a piggy-back, as he jumps from rooftop to rooftop, taking me home. He knows about my leg. Doesn't know how I got it, but he knows that I shouldn't be doing anything heavy-duty with it. Though I don't think walking counts as heavy-duty, I'm not going to complain. It's nice getting a piggy-back. I can hear Taro laughing too.

"What did you tell the idiot?" he asks finally as we begin slowing down. We're near the dojo so it makes sense to do so.

"I just played with his usual fantasies a bit to bully him into helping me."

"Poor guy. Didn't even figure out you were using him. Even though your acting is terrible. I had to stop myself from laughing like a madman. Especially since everyone else had no idea about what was going on." He says laughing. I laugh too. I _knew_ my acting is terrible. Extremely terrible. But Kuno is an idiot and too obsessed with me to notice.

"Yeah it was a miracle that I didn't start laughing too. And I had this horrible urge to do so. I would've looked like a madwoman if I did."

"True you would've. And then everything would've gone down the drain."

"So… I know this is an absolutely useless question by now, but any progress on the 'Happosai name change' thing?" The two of us had been discussing on what Taro's new name should be for a while.

"No. The old man needs to die a horrible death. By the way have you thought up any more good names? And I don't want any names from manga characters you're obsessed with."

How rude! I'm a girl hence I'm allowed to be obsessed with manga characters! I made a big show of pouting when he said that. Till I realised that Taro couldn't see my expression and gave up. "I'm thinking we should stick to Taro. It isn't so bad. We should just change the Pantyhose part. I still think Fai sounds nice."

"Yeah so do I. So then Fai Taro it is. Now we just have to get that stupid old man to actually change it."

"Yeah. Sorry I'm not proving to be much help. I've lost count of how many times I've spiked his sake by now. It just never works."

"Nah no problem. It isn't your fault. It's not even your problem…… Stupid traditions! …… You're helping me enough as it is. You even helped me find an affordable place to stay when I settled down here."

"I wonder if we can drug him?" I asked vaguely as my thoughts drifted off to Kurama. He could probably brew up something that would help Taro if I asked him. Then I could've nearly smacked myself for not thinking of it sooner. Of course Kurama would definitely be able to brew up something to help. And if he didn't know there was always Genkai, and Mukuro to ask for help. And to think I spent three months going bonkers trying to help Taro with useless things when the solution was just a phone call away. I'm such an idiot!

"We tried that before remember. The drug didn't last long." Taro said talking about that time I'd sneaked in some pretty strong hypnotising drug, which Taro had stolen from the Amazons since it had originally been for Ranma, into Happosai's soup. Taro had managed to make it half-way to China before it's effects wore off. And the dosage was pretty strong…… He obviously didn't know what I was thinking about.

"Taro put me down for a bit. I need to make a call." I said fidgeting.

"All right, all right. Stop squirming!" he replied setting me down gently on the ground mindful of my leg. I didn't even bother thanking him, as my cell-phone was out and I was already calling Kurama. He picked up after three rings and I immediately went bonkers in excitement talking a mile a minute to him about what I needed.

"Kurei-kun. Could you please repeat that one again, a bit slower, and at a slightly lower volume? I didn't understand a word." And I sighed. I could actually picture his face.

"Um Sorry 'bout that. Excuse me. I hope I'm not disturbing you" I said sobering up. My emotional outbursts have lessened but I'm still prone to one or two randomly.

"Not at all. I have a free lecture." Kurama replied. He always sounded weird on the phone. I'd never get used to his voice when we spoke on the phone.

"That's good. Anyway, I needed to know if you can get me something and how fast you can do it. It's really important."

"What do you need?"

"Something that can hypnotise someone. For about a month to two on a minimum, for someone with a high resistance to stuff like that, just to be on the safe side." I could almost picture the eyebrow rising delicately, on the other end.

"I have a plant of that sort. But I'm very curious. Now why would you need something like that?" I heard him purr. No doubt his youko instincts came to the forefront. "Our Kurei isn't planning on harbouring a love slave now is she?"

"Nothing of that sort! It's for the sweet friend in Nerima I told you about. The one that always helps me out. He needs it to drug the old pervert I keep grumbling about."

"Ah. All right. When do you need it?"

"As soon as possible."

"Tonight then? I could bring it around. I'm supposed to help you with your Physics anyway."

"That'll be great. Tonight then. See you Kurama. And thanks a bunch."

"No problem Kurei." I smiled as I got off the phone and gave Taro a thumbs-up. Today would be the day that Taro would finally start the journey to having a normal life.

Now all we had to do, was wait for dinner to come.

* * *

**A/N:** There another chapter done. And about the last part, I can't believe it myself. I swear Taro just wrote himself in.

Anyway leave me a note telling me if you guys like it or not.


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½ or Yu-Yu-Hakusho. I'd be filthy stinking rich if I did ne?

**A/N:** Sighs Writers block is evil.

* * *

**Chapter 7**

When Kasumi saw Akane and Taro at the door, she greeted both of them, and invited Taro in for tea. Taro declined stating that he had to be on his way for work and left. But not before promising to come for dinner after a lot of coaxing from Kasumi's side. Akane simply shrugged and entered the house, informing her older sister that Kurama was coming over.

"Kurama?" Kasumi asked.

"Kitsune." Akane mumbled as she plopped down on the wooden floor in front of the dining table. Kasumi nodded and went back into the kitchen before coming out with the tea tray, setting it on the dining table and sitting next to Akane. Akane promptly leaned against Kasumi's shoulders, as she'd been prone to do now-a-days.

One of the best things – according to Akane – that came about from her _ki_ problem, was this newfound relationship she had with Kasumi. Sure Akane and Kasumi were close. They were sisters after all. But, somehow, that seemed to be only in name. Ever since their mother had died, Kasumi and Akane had drifted off in a sense. Kasumi took on the role of becoming the homemaker and caretaker for the Tendo dojo at the cost of her own life, and in the end becoming a distant ever-smiling doll. Akane on the other hand had just turned more aggressive and violent, because she was young, confused, and wanted to be noticed like any child did. And from then on there was this weird invisible border between the two of them.

But ever since Akane started going to Genkai's for training, she and Kasumi had gotten so close, Akane felt that they were now emotionally inseparable. And it was a really nice feeling. They were actually more like _sisters_ now. They talked much more now, did more things together whenever Akane had free time. Akane helped Kasumi around the house. (Learning how to micromanage time and be flexible with her routine and exercises came in handy for things like these. After all, Akane never realised how much more of a workout she got my splitting chores with Kasumi, until she actually did them. And if she chose to do them _creatively,_ she even managed a better workout.) Kasumi managed Akane's schedule while Akane was in Nerima and made sure she kept to everything at their given times. Akane helped Kasumi out with the grocery shopping, and Kasumi taught Akane how to cook. (Akane realised that learning to cook was easier when you didn't get frustrated every five seconds at the lack of progress.) Kasumi would watch Akane while she worked out, or eat breakfast with Akane to give her company, even going as far as to be on the same diet as Akane. They went out shopping together, Akane would drag Kasumi with her when she was hanging out with the rest of the girls (Kasumi got along well with Shizuru and Yukina), and had even convinced Kasumi to join the dance class she went to with Botan, Keiko, and Yukina. (Though Kasumi vehemently resisted, and even after tonnes of persuasion she only managed to get Kasumi to join the Mondays only batch. Not the Monday-Wednesday-Friday batch that Akane and the other girls went to.) Sometimes, if Kasumi felt up to it, she would join in with Akane during the lighter exercises of Akane's schedule, like meditation and jogging.

Akane had to admit to herself. She'd never been as close to Kasumi as she was now. Nor had she ever seen so many different sides of her oldest sibling besides her usual homemaker she showed everyone else. Akane amended herself. It wasn't a really nice feeling, it was a _great_ feeling. It was great being able to laugh, joke, and chat about _absolute nonsense_ with Kasumi.

"So how was your day?" Kasumi asked smiling at Akane warmly while using her free hand to play with Akane's growing hair. Akane wondered when the length of her hair would be perfect by Botan's standards for her to get a haircut, from the shinigami. Akane sighed, "It went downhill from lunch. I nearly got caught in the NWC ruckus. But I managed to make it out. But now I'm going to have to wait for the inevitable of Ranma coming home yelling at me, and asking me about my relationship status with Taro." Akane went into the explanation of what had happened that day to a curious Kasumi. "Though on a positive note, I may finally have found a way to help Taro. Kurama will be bringing something with him, enough to knock Happosai out for ages."

"That's nice to know." Kasumi said referring to Akane's last statement. "But yes Ranma will probably be mad when he gets home. He'll mostly be expecting an answer about what kind of relationship you and Taro have."

"And considering he might get jealous over Taro, there's no telling what will happen when Kurama comes over." Akane sighed again.

"Which brings us back to your emotionally unstable engagement with Ranma." Kasumi pointed out.

Akane groaned softly. Emotionally Unstable was an understatement. Her relationship with Ranma went beyond unstable into downright dangerous. Actually her relationship with her family now, bar Kasumi was dangerous. It was 'classified' as 'emotional abuse' by the shrink Genkai, Shizuru, and Kasumi had tricked her into visiting a month into her training with Genkai. She'd never remembered screaming and screeching so much at Kasumi – _Kasumi of all people for Kami's sake!_ – for tricking her into something like that. Kasumi had merely answered that Shizuru suspected that Akane may have issues bothering her after observing her. And then she'd discussed it with Genkai and Kasumi, and all three of them had agreed it was better safe than sorry to have Akane go in for counselling. Of course considering the fact that Shizuru's doubts had been confirmed Akane really had no room for argument.

Akane had never regretted introducing Shizuru to Kasumi until then. It had been a horribly embarrassing issue for her. Thankfully, she was declared all right. Maybe a little aggressive for her age, but psychiatrist advocated it to it being her family's fault, and the fault of surrounding negative influences. Akane wholeheartedly agreed. She knew, she'd be more serene in nature if half the people in her school allowed her to breathe peacefully, without being paranoid over who'll ask her out next. And she'd appreciate if the NWC would stop its antics too. But that would take a miracle the size of the holocaust, so she knew it wouldn't be happening anytime soon. (It didn't stop her from praying for it. Not that she'd ever admit it.)

"So have you thought about what you're going to do about it?" Kasumi asked.

"Haven't we had this conversation before Kasumi?" Akane groaned out. Kasumi patted the blue haired girl's head.

"Yes Akane, we have had this conversation before. But I need to know if you've come up with a solution yet. Especially considering you training with Genkai. We've managed to hide it up until now from everyone else. But I don't think we'll be able to continue hiding it forever. People are bound to notice you've changed dramatically. And then we won't be able to hide it, when they ask. And I'm sure, knowing how Ranma is, he'll follow you to Genkai too. And then the NWC will follow him too…"

"Then I'll get out popcorn, snacks, drinks, and a video-camera to record stuff. And then watch in sadistic glee as Genkai insults them, calls them all morons, kicks their arses to kingdom come, without breaking a sweat, while drinking her tea. Then I'll make copies and sell it to _everyone_, and I'll put it on the internet and become rich." Akane finished off, making Kasumi giggle.

"Well knowing how you are now, I wouldn't put it past you." A small smile played on the brunette's lips.

"You'd probably enjoy it ne-san. Although, I'm sure you won't allow it to happen. You'd most likely mix sleeping, and immediate-memory erasing drugs, that you got from Shizuru, who'd nicked it from Kurama or Genkai, into everyone's food before they manage to come after me. It's not as if you haven't done it before. Don't think I'm blissfully ignorant about your own hidden inner sadist."

"I know you aren't Akane, but do keep it a secret. After all Nabiki is supposed to be the sadistic one out of us girls. I'm the sweet innocent homemaker, and you're the violent tomboy, and Nabiki is the money minded sadist. It's supposed to be that way. Rat me out and I'll poison your food."

"I love you too Kasumi ne-chan." Akane replied, and both sisters dissolved into a fit of giggles.

* * *

Ranma came storming in fuming, and pissed off, most likely after shaking the rest of the NWC off his tail, (just like Kasumi and Akane had predicted) around an hour later. Thoroughly mad, and wet, he (wait Ranma was in his female form, so the correct term was 'she') proceeded to the bathroom. On the way both Kasumi and Akane heard angry mumbles of "stupid Kuno" "kiss" "stupid Shampoo" "cookies" "evil Kodachi". It didn't take a genius to figure out what happened. Kodachi had most likely tried to force feed Ranma while Shampoo and Kuno tried to kiss him.

After washing up, he promptly proceeded into the dojo to practice still mumbling darkly, and stayed there for most of the evening.

Akane knew that they – she and Kasumi – were probably evil for laughing like they were. (Also, she was most likely lucky as hell, considering even if Ranma saw her with Taro, he'd most probably forgotten it.) But it couldn't be helped, it really couldn't. It was just simply too funny. So they continued to giggle at poor Ranma's misfortune, while they went on with the house-chores. Ranma was probably too angry at what happened to notice that _Akane was doing housework_, inclusive of helping Kasumi prepare dinner. If he did, the house probably wouldn't have been so quiet. _After all Akane was handling edibles!_

The moment Kasumi voiced that thought out, the giggles increased three-fold.

Being serious was definitely out of the window for today.

* * *

Evening descended upon Nerima all too soon, and it wasn't long till the soft echoing ring of the doorbell was heard throughout the Tendo house. If one were present in the house, they would have found it rather amusing to watch everyone's reactions to that one meagre 'ding-dong.' Collectively faces paled, eyes widened, silent prayers started being mentally chanted, while bodies went ramrod straight. Chaos was such a common occurrence in the Tendo house-hold, that most of its residents had come to fear the ring of the doorbell. Even the postman seemed dangerous now.

Akane oblivious (well feigning ignorance in actuality) to the state of the residents of the house – barring Kasumi – simply thundered down the stairs excitedly, screaming, "I'll get it. It's probably for me."

She didn't need to be told that the currently horrified looks changed to curious eye-brow raises in unison. _She could feel it._ Along with a whole other shit-load of emotions.

_Genkai just had to teach her how to sense emotions through change in spiritual energy so soon without teaching her how to filter it out first like she should've, didn't she? Now she was stuck on being an empath and learning how to filter emotions out._ Akane always despised Genkai's "Learn by natural instinct" method. Sure, it honed her natural skills, and let her learn what she needed to learn, but it was quite a small pay-off for the hell she went through, according to Akane.

Making her way to the front door, she caught her breath, before opening it. Only to see two girls who she wasn't expecting, and most definitely were not Kurama.

"What's the matter surprised to see us so soon?" a cheery voice asked.

"Yeah I am. I was expecting-"

"Kurama right?" the cheery voice cut Akane off. "We know, but he had a sudden emergency, so he couldn't make it. Yukina decided to come with your package instead, and since I managed to finish of work soon, so I have some free time. I thought I'd accompany her." Botan said grinning widely at Akane. "Besides I have to do your haircut! Remember? Snip-snip?"

"I remember. I was wondering when you were going to cut it for me anyway. Oh right, come in!" Akane replied smiling.

Yukina handed over a bag to Akane. "Kurama-kun said that since he couldn't make it, he's sent over his old notes which he still had. And that most of the notes were self-explanatory. And that if you still couldn't understand he said you could call him to ask."

"Ah that's nice of him. Did he say anything else?"

"Yeah something about hoping you like the herbal drink he sent."

"Oh, that's really considerate of him. I'll go give it to Kasumi ne-chan for safe-keeping." Akane said walking back inside the house in search of her eldest sister, while motioning for the two girls to follow her.

"You have a nice house Kur-… Akane!" Botan commented, quickly catching herself before she used Akane's nickname, as they walked to the kitchen in search of Kasumi.

"Thanks Botan. Ah, Kasumi ne-chan got you. Kurama-kun sent this for me." The blue haired Tendo said to her older sister fishing out a small packet from the bag Yukina had handed her, and handing it over, winking.

"All right Akane. Hi girls, will you be staying for dinner too?"

"We'd love to, but no thanks Kasumi. If we stay, it might get too late then. I have overtime. Besides, I think Yukina has something to do later. So we just came by to drop the notes Kurama made for Akane, give her a haircut, and scram. And since we're on such a tight schedule, Akane, com on show me to your room, so I can get started!" Botan said dragging the youngest Tendo out of the kitchen with Yukina following behind them giggling.

"Um Botan?" Akane asked hesitantly still being dragged by the shinigami.

"What?"

"My room is upstairs. In the opposite direction."

"Now she tells me." Botan grumbled, taking a 180 degree turn and walking the other way; passing by a very perplexed Soun Tendo, and Genma Saotome on their way.

"Oh hi dad! Mr. S.! These are my friends, Botan, and Yukina. They're here to give me a haircut. Bye now!" Akane waved cheerfully (and also decidedly creepily) – still being dragged unceremoniously by the back of her shirt – at the two men, pointing at each of the girls as she said their names. The shinigami dragging her, simply gave them a nod, stomping away, while Yukina stopped and bowed respectfully before trailing after the other two blue haired girls in a more delicate geisha like fashion. The girls made for a rather odd trio, bringing to mind the vivid mental image an executioner dragging a content-to-die prisoner away for execution with the priest following behind them.

"Uh… Tendo?" Genma asked voicing the description of the aforementioned mental image.

"……"

* * *

**A/N:** For the sake of all those who'd been waiting for this chapter to come out, I sincerely hope it met your expectations, and that you enjoyed it.

Anyway I've sign off here now.

Leave a note then. Ciao!


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